Princess to Princess: Her Shining Majesty
by Blastos X4
Summary: The tale of two princesses' journey to defeat the evil powers that have conquered their lands. As the Forbidden Seal weakens, the Mushroom Princess must face her mother's legacy to achieve victory. Sequel to Unlikely Allies and Sage Revival.
1. Dark Intentions

_Disclaimer: I do not own the various Nintendo trademarks, characters, etc. depicted within this story. _

**Dark Intentions**

A meeting had been called to order in a boardroom of an office building. Even though it was a cloudy day outside, it had been decided to close the blinds over the large windows. Without the lights on, the room was very dark. Bowser was seated at one end of the table, near the window. Ganondorf sat at the other end, now fully recovered from his fight. Various underlings were seated between them. The dim settings made their eyes all stand out menacingly. The shadowy figure of a young woman in a dress stood in the corner near the door.

"First things first," Bowser grumbled. "I want a status report. Bolt."

"Our conquest of Dinosaur Land is complete," he said solemnly. "All Yoshis have been placed in captivity and are being domesticated as per your orders."

"Good. Shadee?" he said, turning to the Shaman cloaked in black, making his yellow eyes the only visible part of him.

"We've fully secured Nimbus Land," he said. "We suspect a few rebels have escaped into Land's End, but it shouldn't take long for us to track them down."

"Loser," Death Guy muttered.

"What was that?" Shadee asked irritably.

"Nothing," Death Guy said innocently. "Just thought you might want to cover your ugly face next time…"

"At least I didn't lose to a bunch of fairies!" Shadee retorted. Then, he glanced at Bolt, who was looking somewhat annoyed. "And at least I didn't lose Peach and Zelda."

"Did you find Merlon and his family?" Bowser asked threateningly.

"…Well…uh…"

"Out with it!" Bowser bellowed.

"Begging your pardon, sir… I'm afraid they've all escaped into Rogueport. It will take some time before our forces are able to get that far. Sarasaland's been stretching their forces near there…"

"Baby," Death Guy chuckled.

"What about you, shrimp?" Bowser growled, staring at the black-clothed Shy Guy.

"We got a complete and unconditional surrender out of the Kremlings," Death Guy said confidently.

"And the Kongs?" Bowser asked.

"Uh…we haven't been able to locate them…"

"This is all well and good," Ganondorf spoke sarcastically, "but I think we have more important matters to discuss."

"What?" King Boo asked, the only being fully visible because of his ghostly glow. "The princesses?"

"No."

"You talkin' about that Link look-alike that showed up?" Bowser asked.

"If it were him," Ganondorf said, narrowing his eyes, "we wouldn't be here to discuss it. No, I'm speaking of a much less obvious threat. During the course of the fight, I happened to notice a strange man wearing a mask that magically made him less noticeable. I believe he may be leeching on our plans for his own good."

"Like how?" Bowser inquired. The woman in the shadows stepped forward. It was the Zelda doppelganger.

"I did a quick check in the Dark World," she said. "It seems our dear friends Mario and Link attempted an escape."

"What?" Bowser fumed.

"Oh, don't worry," she smirked with a sparkling, toothy grin. "I made sure to put them back in their places. However, the fact that they've awakened means that their souls have been restored. Given the danger involved, I would recommend terminating them."

"…No," both Bowser and Ganondorf said.

"Huh?"

"It's not going to happen," Bowser said.

"The boy is not a threat to me without Courage," Ganondorf smirked. "He can rot in there for the rest of his life."

"Okay, but Bowser, sir," she said. "If you want to kill Peach, why not your arch nemesis?"

"It isn't worth the energy," Bolt said simply.

"I don't understand…"

"He's right on the mark," Bowser said, growling lowly as he placed his elbows on the table. "Mario is my worst enemy, but there's no use in trying to kill him. That blasted plumber's been a pest that won't go away."

"I'm sure a dip in the lava pits will take care of him nicely," she suggested.

"Yeah, he'd be burnt to a crisp," Bowser said with disinterest. "But he'd just come back and ruin everything."

"Over the years," Bolt explained, "Mario has eaten over a thousand green mushrooms. If we were to kill him, he would only come back, presumably free of his restraints. You've played enough videogames to know how it works."

"I thought that was just a game mechanic…" she said, astounded.

"Nintendo is very thorough when it comes to being true to its inspiration," he said. "As it stands, our best bet would be to keep him imprisoned and under surveillance."

"Right," Bowser nodded.

"That's not the only thing that concerns me," Ganondorf grunted. "There was a great power with that masked man. He's been hiding something from us. And I have the distinct feeling that he's just a pawn."

"We'll keep an eye out," Bowser said. "In the meantime, I want everyone to see what they can do about Sarasaland. They're really starting to tick me off." Everyone began to leave, except Ganondorf and Bowser.

"What about those blasted fairies?" Ganondorf asked.

"I already replaced the barrier," Bowser said, displaying the Star Rod. "It'll buy us some time."

"And when they finally break through?" Ganondorf asked, balling his fist.

"I've got a friend who can take care of them," Bowser laughed, looking at the red and gold mask of a Phanto on the wall.

The Zelda look-alike stood outside the boardroom, eavesdropping on them. A smile slowly appeared on her face. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Bolt staring at her. She spoke quietly, "It's not too late to change your mind."

"I've made my decision," he said, turning his back and walking down the hall.

She walked through the various halls of the building, loosely observing the various workers. She had never seen so many humans in one place like this. They had been allowed to continue their work, but she could tell that they were all nervous about being commandeered by Bowser. She couldn't help but notice many of them stealing glances at her. They had never imagined that Zelda, in any form or shape, could be a real person. Despite the circumstances, she could tell it was a treat for them to see her.

Feeling somewhat bored since her companion was currently unavailable, she teleported deep down into the basement, where the R&D Lab was. It was always entertaining to see what the nerdy Koopas and ingenious Shy Guys could come up with. She walked into a room where many Koopas and Goombas in lab coats had gathered around an exhibition.

One Koopa with particularly thick glasses was speaking. "There comes a day when something is made that could change the world forever. What I have here may very well be that thing. Gentlemen…I present the weapon that could very well win the war." The floor opened up next to him and a Bullet Bill-like missile protruded out. It was the same size as any other Bullet Bill, but its black plating did not reflect any light at all. It also did not appear to have a mouth.

"It looks like a regular Bullet Bill," one of the scientists said.

"That is the beauty of it," the lead scientist said. "You see, if we were to make an ultimate weapon that stood out, it would be targeted."

"What does it do?"

"It's a modification on the Killer-series," he said. "Notice the singular-smoke propulsion unit and the trademark eyes. However, whereas the standard Killers are made with low-grade iron, this particular model is armored with a high-grade alloy, scientifically named necromantium. Under the suggestion of Drow, our supplier…"

"You're welcome," she said, as they all noticed her.

"We've decided to simply refer to the material as Death Metal," he continued. "This so-called Death Metal is supposed to be infused with some sort of magical essence, dark matter, and other things I wouldn't know about. We've yet to name the Killer itself… It has the power to kill all living things within a fifty-mile radius. Any suggestions for a name?"

"Nuclear Ned?"

"Deadly Dan?"

"Killer Kyle?"

"Do you have any suggestions, Drow?"

"Hmm," she smiled. "Why not just call it by its special armor? Death Metal." They all looked as if they had never thought of giving it such a foreboding, untraditional name.

"It works…" the lead scientist said. "Now, on to the newest modifications to our Giga mutant program. First, I would like to present the elite of our army…Dark Giga Koopatrol." A screen appeared and showed a grey-skinned Giga Koopa with a black, spiked shell. It had a silver helmet with a spike-top and faceguard, much like a knight. It wore clawed gauntlets and boots. The most noticeable change was its soulless, glowing red eyes.

"Impressive," Drow noted.

"The Dark Giga Koopatrol is fully equipped with titanium armor, fiery breath, password-locked shells, built-in radio, and of course, the Dark Koopatrol's trademark power-up technique.

"Next, I'd like to present a specimen that has already been used in our Hyrule campaign quite effectively. This is the new and improved Buster Beetle. It has been genetically altered to enhance its strength twenty times or more. This allows it to pick up and toss things that a Giga Koopa would strain to lift. The beauty of them is that, like the Death Metal, they look nearly identical to the orthodox type."

Drow decided to leave and see what the 8-Bits Club was up to. They were in a lab room down the hall. They disliked showing off their new gadgets to outsiders, so she stood outside and peaked through a crack in the door.

"What are you doing?" a cold, familiar voice asked. She turned and saw Bolt standing there next to her.

"Just eavesdropping," she smiled. "You know how bored I get."

"Be bored somewhere else," he said, entering. He closed the door tightly behind him. She looked around and saw that no one else was around.

"_You were right,"_ she spoke mentally to Ganondorf. "_They are planning something. I can't go any further without giving myself away."_

"_I see,"_ Ganondorf replied. "_Keep an eye on them. If these overgrown turtles think they can double-cross me and get away with it, they are sorely mistaken."_

She teleported to another basement level. The walls here were metallic and the surroundings were of higher technology. Doors slid open for her to pass through. Noticing that there was no one around, she called out to another person. "_Milady. Everything is going perfectly. The seal is breaking. Only two more remain, and then you shall be free."_

"_Good_," a female voice replied. "_Oni has done exactly what I expected him to do. Be sure that Ganon and Bowser do not ruin my little plan. You and Morel will meet Zelda and Peach soon. It will not be long before this thousand-year curse is broken_."

"Hey, everybody!" a Moblin yelled from down the hall. "They're beginning the big one!"

* * *

Daisy sat at a large table amongst her generals and commanders. The room was actually a large gray cavern. On the massive screen against the wall, they could see a small fleet of Doomships approaching Li Wei, the capital city of Chai, Sarasaland. Daisy was wearing a yellow top and long white skirt despite her surroundings. For some reason, she also had baby blue parasol at her side.

"How much time until they get within firing range?" Daisy asked.

"About twenty minutes at their current speed," said Toadette, the pink-capped Toad. "Shall we send reinforcements to help?"

"Of course!" all the generals said.

"Nah," Daisy said, getting up.

"What!"

"We should focus on keeping Easton secure," Daisy said, stretching.

"But isn't your sister in Chai?" Toadette asked.

"She can handle herself," Daisy said, walking to the door. "She's used to fighting and she's got one of our most powerful military sectors at her disposal. She'll be fine." She walked out the door and through the halls. She soon saw Toadette chasing her down.

"Princess!" Toadette called, finally catching up to her. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah, why?"

"You've been acting a little strange lately… Is it because Luigi left for the Mushroom Kingdom?"

"No, I'm just trying not to stretch our military," Daisy sighed. "You know how rough it's been. And what with Peach gone missing…just a fake Peach and a fake Zelda… It's just been a little stressful, ya know? Like, suppose a fake me shows up somewhere and tries to cause confusion. How will they tell it's not me?"

"I understand," Toadette said as they came to Daisy's room. "We know that you're here and not somewhere else. But please, leave the military decisions to the military experts. Get some rest, okay?"

"Okay," Daisy said, entering her room. Like the rest of the facility, it was in a cave. However, only the walls and floor were stone. It was fully furnished with everything she would usually have. There were even doors to a walk-in closet and personal bathroom. She lay on her bed and sighed. She glanced at her clock and saw that it was nearly five o'clock in the evening. She got up and walked to her closet. She opened the door and grinned upon seeing the real Daisy tied up in the back of the closet. She would have been yelling and screaming had her voice been working. She was in nothing but her underclothes.

"Guess what?" the impostor said, spinning the opened parasol. She suddenly took on the form of Peach. "I'm about done here. So, I guess this is about time I said goodbye." There was a glow outside the closet. Drow walked in next to her and was amused to see Daisy tied up and muted.

"Hello, dear," Drow said. "Ready to go?"

"Yep," she replied. "I was getting tired of walking around in caves and watching ugly statues…and having to wear such horribly colored clothing. It's always yellow, white, and orange with her."

"I think it looks good on you, dearest," Drow smiled.

"Why thank you, honey," Morel replied.

"Nothing looks bad on my little snookums," Drow said, pinching her cheek.

"Awww…" They both began to notice that Daisy was gagging, as if she was about to throw up. "That's just immature, Daisy." She snapped her fingers, allowing Daisy to speak.

"Like, get a room already!" Daisy yelled. Drow and Morel glanced outside the closet. "Not my room!"

"Let's take her with us," Morel said. "Wouldn't want her spoiling our fun on this side so soon."

"Very good, darling," Drow said, picking up Daisy.

"Where are you taking me?"

"To Chai," Morel said.

"Why?"

"To frame you. Cupcake?"

"I'll take care of everything, my little muffin-head," Drow answered affectionately.Then they heard Daisy gagging again and rolled their eyes.


	2. The Higher Ups

**The Higher-ups**

Geno and Zelda, who was carrying a still-sleeping Peach, stood atop a yellow star as it flew through limbo. It had been two days since the Fierce Deity had been summoned and "cured" Peach.

"So, are we going to see the Goddesses?" Zelda asked somewhat anxiously.

"Yes," Geno answered. "I need to speak with them. Things have gotten a little complicated… You might want to close your eyes."

"Why?"

"This part of the ride gets a little…trippy."

"How will you drive with your eyes closed?" she asked.

"Remember, this is only a borrowed form," he said. "I'm really a star spirit…of sorts." Zelda shrugged and closed her eyes. Even with her eyes closed, she could tell that the light was glowing or flashing from dark to bright. She began to hear strange, but full sounds. She could not help taking a peek.

Geno heard a thud behind him. He turned and saw that Zelda had dropped Peach. She had fallen to her knees and was staring ahead wide-eyed and drooling. "I warned you."

"Oh…my…Goddesses…" Zelda murmured. "So…beau…beau…pretty… My Goddesses… It's full of stars…" She was actually crying tears of joy. Geno had expected this. His training had always warned him that mortals would react this way. She was even reaching out to the infinite space, which somehow seemed so close. The dark corridor, or canyon, gave way to the radiance of a sun. The light at the end of this tunnel grew more, as if coming from a gradually opening door. The stars and colors around them began to streak into bands of light, as if Geno had accelerated beyond the speed of light. The Warp Star they rode began to shake. They flew into the light in a sudden bolt of unimaginable speed.

"…Ygsute se vagunct dyu loges mei Queen Shadow…" Geno spoke.

"Beai jai kontai vei joui," a soft voice spoke. "It looks like they're coming to."

Zelda blinked, finally coming to her senses. She wiped the drool off herself and looked around. Geno was standing beside her, while Peach was slowly waking up on her other side. They were inside what appeared to be an empty, outdoor lobby to a luxury hotel. There were beautiful fountains everywhere. Butterflies silently fluttered around flowerbeds. There were trees along the beige marble walls and a small stream winding through the room. A desk was on the far side of the room, but it was unattended. This room did not have any doors at all.

"Who is that?" Zelda spoke, standing up.

"I am the Goddess of Wisdom, Nayru," the voice spoke in a friendly fashion.

"Ah…uh…ooh…" Zelda began to feel faint and wobbled.

"Ah-ah-ah," Nayru scolded gently. "No fainting."

"Yes, my Goddess!" Zelda said, dropping to her knees and bowing.

"So pious," Nayru said. She appeared in the form of an azure-haired, sapphire-skinned, blue-eyed woman wearing a cerulean gown. She had a gold band around her forehead and was barefooted. She seemed quite petite. "Rise, Zelda."

"Yes, my Lady," Zelda said, standing up.

Suddenly, the plant life sprung into overgrowth and Nayru frowned. Vines spread along the walls. The trees began to cover the sky with branches and leaves, blocking out much of the sunlight. A gale blew through the room and petals fell everywhere as another woman appeared. Whereas Nayru had long, azure hair that stopped at her lower back, this person had even longer chartreuse, silky hair that dragged along the ground. There was more than enough of it to cover her complete nudity. She had a very shapely, fertile figure, further humbling Zelda. Her eyes were glowing gold. Her skin was brown and she seemed to be preoccupied.

"Si, si, me gusta…" She stopped speaking when she saw the others looking at her. Even Peach, who had not the energy to get up was staring at her. "What's going on? I had this space reserved for today."

"This is Farore," Nayru spoke. "Dear sister, we have guests from Hyrule and the Star Road."

"Then, take them to your own office," Farore said dismissively. "You're not the only one with work, you know."

"Ahem! They aren't de…" Before she could finish, electricity began to spark everywhere. Some of the plants actually burst into flames. Nayru sighed while Farore got a look of annoyance. A fiery hole burned into space and a golden woman stepped out. Her hair was bound into a short ponytail. She was perpetually covered in flames. Strangely, she had an extra pair of arms and blades along her wrists and back.

"Hey, Farore, I hope you don't mind if I…" she paused upon seeing everyone there. "What the hell is this?"

"Sisters!" Nayru almost yelled. "We have _guests_ from the lower worlds."

"It's gonna have to happen some other time," Farore said. "I've got a date with Destiny."

"What happened to Fate?" Din asked.

"That bastard couldn't make up his damn mind," Farore spat. "And yet he thinks he's all-powerful like he's some kind of…"

"Ladies!" Geno yelled. "We don't have time for this. With all due respect…"

"Who are you?" Farore asked.

"This is the officer who guards the Star Road," Nayru said agitatedly. "This one on the ground is Princess Peach Toadstool of the Mushroom Kingdom. And you should know this one as Zelda."

"Which one?" Din asked.

Nayru groaned. "From Hyrule! You know! Hyrule the country, on the continent Hyrule, of the planet Hyrule…" Din and Farore gave her blank stares. "The one we made together and left the Triforce there for some damnable reason. I never liked the idea of leaving something that powerful amongst mortals…"

"Oh…That Zelda," Farore said. "The Triforce was your idea, Nay…"

"It was not."

"Yeah, it was," Din agreed.

"Why would I suggest something like that?"

"Some crap about using it as a symbol for all peoples of Hyrule to…"

"Ahem," Geno coughed and whispered, "We _do_ have a mortal here who actually _worships_ you."

"We're Goddesses," Nayru said quietly to her sisters. "Now, let's act like it, shall we?"

Din protested, "What could be so important that you…"

"Oh, I don't know…" Nayru said sarcastically. "Maybe an evil king getting his hands on a wish-granting relic of the stars, an evil sorcerer getting not one, but two pieces of the Triforce, both of them yours. Oh, and we might be having an early arrival from the Shadow Queen."

"Oh…" they said, looking stifled.

"Well, let's get into the act!" Nayru said. "Hylians don't walk around naked! Put some clothes on both of you." Farore whispered a few words to whomever she had been talking to and grew a very full bunch of viridian robes. It could pass for a cloak, since her figure was completely hidden. She looked very motherly now.

"How's that?" Farore asked.

"The colors…" Nayru said, pointing to her own.

"I thought we were Golden Goddesses," Din said, growing what looked like a stripped down version of a Gerudo's guarding uniform.

"Just coordinate!"

"Whatever," Farore said, turning her skin to a pale green. Nayru glared at her further. She sighed and grew a gold choker, while her golden eyes turned green. "Pull the stick out, why don't ya…"

"Your turn," Nayru said, turning to Din.

"Last time I checked, I was the unofficial leader," Din said, still engulfed in flames.

"That was two thousand years ago."

"Fine," Din relented. She now only had two arms and without blades. The flames ended, revealing her to have gold skin. Her ponytail grew longer and turned cerise, while her skin turned pink. Her eyes turned red as she folded her arms. She had a muscular build and was easily the tallest and largest of the three. Two gold wristbands were the finishing touches.

"Thank you," Nayru said. "Now, Officer, please continue."

"As I was saying before," Geno spoke, "I think that the Shadow Queen is behind all of the mess going on in the Mushroom World and Hyrule. I don't know whether she is manipulating Bowser and Ganondorf, or even if she is actually involved or not."

"Shadow Queen, huh?" Din said. "Well, relative to everything else going on in existence, she's won't be a serious threat to you all until well after she reawakens."

"My Goddesses," Zelda said, bowing her head. "Would you be so kind as to simply destroy or banish the evils that be? Everyone has already suffered so much and much blood has been spilled already. Please help us."

"I'm afraid it doesn't work so simply around here," Nayru said sympathetically. "We don't have prices and sacrifices made in our names, so it isn't as easy for us to suddenly make a divine act."

"But…you're the creators of Hyrule," Zelda said.

"And we love you dearly," Farore said, stroking her cheek. "However, you'd be surprised how many other worlds are in much greater peril."

"I saved over two million systems from complete destruction last week," Din said. "It has to be pretty urgent for us to make a blatant act."

"How urgent?" Zelda asked desperately. "Ganondorf getting the Trueforce?"

"Under different circumstances, yes…but…" Nayru said. "We are obligated to grant the wish of anyone who holds all three pieces."

"Even if he's evil," Farore added.

"Or makes us look bad," Din sneered.

"Zelda," Geno said. "Keep in mind that they would have done little if anything if the Fierce Deity had committed genocide against all beings of light. They aren't war gods like him. They are elemental. It's not so simple for them to go into action." He turned to them. "However, your guidance is _not_ out of bounds."

Their gazes all moved to Peach, who was listening distantly on the ground. She was still in a great deal of pain and did not feel like talking.

"Have Peach go to the Wanderer," Nayru spoke.

"She should have something that will come in handy," Din said. "The Wanderer herself might even be able to help out."

"And somebody," Farore said, "needs to get the courage to go into the Dark World to get Mario and Link. Peach, Zelda, you two are going to have to be able to face Ganon and Bowser alone if the time ever comes."

"Considering what they've been through," Geno said uneasily, "I think it would be best if they avoided conflicts with those two. There's also the matter of the impostors, who've made some pretty brazen moves lately."

"I saw one of them," Zelda said.

"We're only saying that you should not count on Mario and Link to free themselves," Nayru said.

"Where is the Wanderer?" Peach asked in a pained voice. She looked very melancholy.

"We aren't sure," Din said.

"The Mushroom World isn't part of our jurisdiction," Farore said. "We never had anything to do with the creation of it. We just picked up the slack of whoever made it since it was just sitting there. The Dark Worlds are connected only because Ganondorf tainted the Golden Realm upon touching the Triforce. They weren't connected seven years ago."

"There were always gateways between your worlds however," Nayru spoke. "Since you used a Warp Star to travel through limbo, we'll take care of your exit point. We will give you and your companions appropriate warps if and only if they are needed. You have my contact information, but I'll still be busy. This very meeting required me to ask for a time freeze from Chronus, and that's not cheap."

"Understood," Geno said, nodding. "Your assistance is greatly appreciated."

"Oh, and it would be a good idea to stop violating the Forbidden Seal," Din mentioned.

"The Forbidden?" Zelda said. "That's what the Shamans told me…"

"Yeah, but it's not too big of a deal," Din said casually.

"I'm not familiar with that one," Geno said. "We've been violating this seal?"

"It's pretty simple," Farore said. "Just six easy rules."

"I think Merlon told them to us," Zelda said. "But they were vague and…silly. Especially the one about ketchup."

"Hmm," Nayru frowned. "According to my studies, the first rule states that no blood is to be spilled in the 'Land of Mushrooms.' That actually sounds almost as odd as the ketchup…"

"No," Zelda said, looking at Peach lower her eyes. "Bleeding doesn't happen in her world."

"That doesn't make any sense," Farore muttered. "Anyway, the second rule is basically that guardians of the Triforce, or Sages, aren't supposed to kill each other…Yeah."

"Yeah," Zelda sighed. "Next."

"Let no evil possess the Trueforce," Din spoke. "That's a bad thing regardless of whether or not it breaks the seal. Let Ganon get all three pieces and you can kiss your country goodbye."

"The third rule?" Geno inquired.

"Don't revive Oni from the Fierce Deity Mask," Nayru said, arching her eyebrow at Zelda.

"It was either that or let Ganon have the Triforce of Wisdom," Zelda said, unable to look her in the eye.

"Don't use the granter of wishes for evil," Farore said. "Is that for the Triforce or the Star Rod?"

"The Star Rod," Geno sighed. "That means we have two unbroken rules so far. What's the last?"

"None shall use the words of curse within the Mushroom World," Din spoke ominously.

"Do you know what these curse words are?" Zelda asked.

"We haven't the slightest," Nayru said defeatedly. "We didn't create this seal. We don't even know who did. For all we know, it might not even be in effect anymore."

"In other words," Farore said, "don't sweat it too much. Just keep the Triforce away from Ganondorf and you should be fine."

"I think we can take it from here," Geno said.

"No need to leave just yet," Farore said kindly. "Since we didn't act properly early on, we want to make it up to you. Usually we do this after a person dies…but we'll let you do it now. You can ask any question you want and we'll answer to the best of our ability." She wrapped her arms around her sisters' shoulders and pulled them closer, much to their annoyance.

"I don't have anymore questions," Geno said. "Peach?" She remained silent, but she had appeared to be troubled about something. "What is wrong?"

"She's thinking about her mother, among other things," Nayru said, breaking away from Farore.

"I see," Geno said, as Peach turned away.

"How does Link feel about me?" Zelda asked hesitantly.

"He's not sure," Farore said. "Only Ruto knows has a clue, but he does not."

"That's a strange answer," Zelda said.

"Is there anything that can stop the Shadow Queen if she gets loose?" Geno asked.

"At the very least," Din said, "you would need high-level divine or demonic powers. Fortunately, when she awakens, she will be severely weakened and at least somewhat vulnerable to mortal blows…assuming she takes a body… Still, you'd need something to bypass her aura. She is a demon after all. Light Arrows and the Master Sword are a good start. Presumably, the Star Rod would do good too. If you could recover the Star Spirits, you might be able to manage."

"Most importantly of all," Nayru added, "you must have faith. She is not unbeatable."

"One of our freelance angels actually went at it with her frequently," Farore said with a smile. "Keep in mind, it was the former guardian of the Triforce, but she and the Shadow Queen really hated each other. It's ironic that she disappeared around the same time the Shadow Queen did. Who knows? She might show up to fight the Shadow Queen for you. In the meantime, stay safe."

"Time to go," Geno said. "And this time, keep your eyes closed. Could you drop us off at Chai in Sarasaland?"

"Of course," Nayru nodded as the Warp Star carried them into a portal. "I expect good things of you all."

As Geno flew the Warp Star through limbo, he noticed that Peach was not making any effort to cover her eyes. She just sat there morosely, totally unaffected by the psychidelicvisuals around her.

"Aren't you feeling strange from seeing everything?" Geno asked.

Peach glanced up at him and looked back down to the surface of the Warp Star. "Just stars." There was bitterness and pain in her voice, almost as if she was about to cry. Her face was tearless though and her eyes were not watery.

"It's more than just your mother, isn't it?" Zelda asked, keeping her eyes closed. "What's the matter?" Peach said nothing.

"We're just trying to help, Peach," Geno said.

"It hurts," Peach said. "To talk…to move…to breathe."

"Don't worry," Geno said. "Once we get to Chai, we'll take you to a doctor to speed up your recovery. You should be able to relax there."

"What about the Shadow Queen? Everyone kept looking at me whenever she was mentioned… What happened while I was out? What happened…to Sheik?"

"It wasn't Sheik," Zelda said uncomfortably. "It was an impostor. It poisoned you and took you to Ganondorf. He found that the Triforce of Courage had chosen you…and he took it from you. The poison put you to sleep comfortably, but it was slowly killing you. It was made specifically to overpower your essence. Only divine magic could heal it…and the only divinity around was the Fierce Deity, a dark god I summoned to defeat Ganondorf. Ganondorf was defeated, but he escaped with my doppelganger. The only way to save your life was to agree to the Fierce Deity's terms. You will be sacrificed to the Shadow Queen to become her new body. You should expect it to happen in the late…"

"Don't tell me," Peach said, not changing her expression at all.

"But Peach," Zelda argued, opening her eyes. Her attention was quickly drawn to her surroundings. "You should know when…when…ze…bla…aaaah…" She was once again being reduced to drooling and staring into space like a blithering idiot.

"What she's trying to say," Geno sighed, "is that you should know when…"

"When I'm going to die?" Peach suggested. "If you made a deal with a god, it won't matter what I do to avoid it."

"Preparation will help you," Geno said.

"How would you like it…" Peach began before beginning to cough. "…How would you like to know exactly when you were going to die? To spend the rest of your life...just counting down until when it would all be over? Or even worse...to know when you'd become a slave...to a terrible force like that… It'd be like...It'd be like…" Her coughs became more violent.

"Take it easy," Geno said understandingly. "I understand." Peach persisted in coughing. When she finally stopped, she wobbled slightly and fainted. "Peach? Peach!"


	3. Curse or Cure

**Curse or Cure?**

The Warp Star exited a portal over the city of Li Wei. The buildings were of oriental design and the cityscape had a general gold and green color scheme. It was very hilly and multi-tiered. Even though it was a massive city, it maintained a rural atmosphere since there was so much grass, vines, and small trees. There was not a single road since all of the vehicles were airborne. The mountains behind the city gave it a perfectly beautiful backdrop. The setting sun reflected off the golden city.

"There it is," Geno said, supporting Peach's head.

"Huh?" Zelda asked, regaining her senses.

"We'll be setting down in the main plaza," Geno said. "Just hold on, Peach." Suddenly, a siren sounded in the distance and a plethora of gun turrets appeared out of various compartments around the city. Some came out of buildings. Others came out of the ground. A few floating road signs actually transformed into large guns.

"Please report to designated shelters," a recording blared throughout the city. "This is not a drill. Defense systems will activate in fifteen seconds."

"Defense?" Zelda inquired, not understanding the word. "Vogs ja?"

"…I don't need language barriers right now," Geno said. He handed Peach to Zelda. "Hold onto Peach. This might get rough." He crouched down and held the edge of the Warp Star. Stardust spurted in its wake as it sped down toward the city. Geno and Zelda could see the light gathering into many of the guns' barrels.

"Goche de nigh," Zelda said, casting Nayru's Love. Once the shield was set, the sky filled with laser fire and Giras. It became apparent that they were not specifically aiming at the Warp Star as the many shots flew by, though Geno had to make a little effort to dodge the incoming fire.

"Zelda, what are they shooting at?" Geno said, pointing his hand backwards as he sent the Warp Star into a quick barrel roll to the side to dodge a Gira flying by.

"Za…" Zelda murmured as she looked into the sky behind them. "Kul le Bowser!" There were at least a dozen Doomships approaching the city. The salvo of shots was hitting them dead-on. Unfortunately, they were firing their own projectiles now. "Geno, vadio!"

"They should have brought the shield up by now," Geno thought, forcing the Warp Star to top speed. It plowed through any fired shots in its way. Even at that speed, enemy cannonballs and Bullet Bills were gaining on them. Bullet Bills that had gotten alongside them glanced at them and cackled, knowing that they would be caught in the blast.

* * *

"That should take care of that," Morel said, wiping her hands as she stood up from the mess of wires. They were in a very small room that was full of control panels and screens. It was almost claustrophobic in size. "Shields down. Guns going down."

"Ten minutes should be good," Drow said, mashing the commands into the control panel.

"You'll never get away with this!" Daisy barked, still tied up behind them.

"She's a talkative one, isn't she?" Drow sighed, using her telekinesis to lift Daisy slightly and restrain her.

As Morel undid Daisy's binding, Daisy questioned her, "What are you doing?"

Morel stood before her and tilted her head thoughtfully. "You know, Daiz, even though your fashion sense is god-awful, you're still pretty. No wonder people think you're a clone of Peach. But we both know I'm the only clone," she said, stepping uncomfortably close.

"Hey, personal space!" Daisy recoiled. "Don't start lezzing out on me!"

"I would always expect that more from you than myself…tomboy," Morel smiled, giving her a peck on the cheek. Daisy went limp, going unconscious.

"Very good," Drow said, moving her halfway into the mess of wires under the control panel. Daisy was positioned in such a way that she appeared to be fiddling with the wires. "Shall we go?" Suddenly the building rumbled. "That's a bit much for Bullet Bills."

"We've got company," Morel said, watching the screen. It showed Geno, Zelda, and Peach rolling along the floor as the Warp Star exploded through several walls. "I really wanted to finish with Daisy, too…"

"It's taken care of," Drow said, setting off the alarm with a few button presses. "Now, let's take care of business."

* * *

"I think I overdid it," Geno groaned, shaking off the dust and dirt from the smashed in walls. "Is Peach okay?"

"Banca wokoi," Zelda said, holding Peach up.

"Hold it right there!" Armed soldiers, in the form of beings known as Pionpi, had instantly surrounded the three. Strangely, they appeared to be living scarecrows, with oriental-inspired purple clothing with gold trims. They had blue skin, or cloth that was their skin, blackhorsehair ponytails, and rounded caps. All of them held Super Scopes.

"Stand down," Geno said. "It's me, Geno. These are the real Peach and Zelda." There was a moment of silence, except for the blasts coming from the hole in the wall, as they considered the toy's words.

"How do we know you aren't just Dooplighosts or something?" one asked finally.

"There's no time for this," Geno insisted. "Peach needs a doctor right now. If you don't back off, I'll have to take matters into my own hands."

"You try anything and…" one began. Geno shoved Zelda down and spun in place as he fired off his Star Guns. The scarecrows all collapsed on themselves.

"Let's go!" Geno said, sprinting to the nearest elevator. Zelda hefted Peach over her shoulder and glanced back at the fallen soldiers. "They'll be up in a few seconds!" She ran into the open elevator just as the scarecrows began to magically pull themselves together. The doors closed just as they began to shoot.

"Sarasaland vie micho zeran," Zelda sighed.

"Stay behind me," Geno said as the doors opened. He walked out into the corridor. There were humans standing guard, wearing an odd mix of armor that appeared old and modern all at once. They wore plate armor on their legs and shoulders. Their chest plates appeared to be made of a synthetic material or alloy. They also wore menacing helmets that obscured every part of their faces but their strangely glowing eyes. They each had two swords at their sides, a Ray Gun on the opposite sides, and cradled a Super Scope.

"Identify yourselves," one spoke, facing them.

"Geno, Peach, and Zelda," Geno said quickly.

"We'll need identification."

"No time," Geno said. "Peach needs a doctor."

"Assistance requested," a green-eyed guard said into a hidden radio. "Personnel claiming to be Princess Peach, Geno, and Princess Zelda." Another walked toward the trio.

"Do you know what's wrong with her?" the blue-eyed guard asked Geno, kneeling down to investigate her.

"She was recently poisoned," Geno said. "She received a particularly volatile cure."

"Her pulse is a little low," he said as more guards arrived. "You'll be escorted to the medical bay." Then, he looked to the other guards. "Report?"

"We caught a spy disguised as Daisy. She really did a number on the power grid."

"Spy?" Zelda asked, glancing at Geno.

"Daisy is in Easton right now," he explained. "We just checked."

"Well, that leaves one more possible spy," the doctoring guard said, lifting up Peach. "Keep an eye out." He led them through a maze of corridors and hallways, with other guards following. They finally arrived in a medium-sized, white room that had a few doctors and nurses standing by. He placed Peach on the table.

"Condition?" one doctor asked, rushing up quickly.

"Recently poisoned," the guard said. "Iffy antidote."

"How did she take the antidote?" the doctor said, preparing a needle.

"Huh?" Zelda asked.

"Intravenously, orally, rect…"

"Through her midsection, lower abdomen," Geno said quickly. "She was stabbed with a sword that was tipped with the cure." The doctor stared at him for a moment. "The stabbing isn't the problem."

"Hmm…" the doctor said, taking a small blood sample. "Has she been like this the whole time?"

"She was conscious a few minutes ago," Geno said. "But before that, she was out for two days."

"This will take a few minutes," the doctor sighed, stepping out with the blood sample. There were several announcements over the intercom. Most of the soldiers stepped out, but the blue-eyed one remained. Except for the distant sound of cannon fire and occasional rumbling of the facility, there was complete silence.

"Security has been compromised," the intercom sounded. "Enemy forces sighted entering complex."

"Mmh…" Zelda groaned. Even though she still could not understand the language, she knew from the tone that it was bad news.

"Don't worry," the blue-eyed guard said. "We're pretty far underground. It doesn't get much safer than this."

"Don't be so down, Zelda," Geno said. "Sarasaland has withstood Bowser's assaults surprisingly well. His army has lost a few battles in your absence. This is just an all-out attack in hope to take out Sarasaland in one stroke."

"The events started at Birabuto will be drawn to a close," the guard said solemnly. "Sarasland must be cleansed. And Bowser's Giga Koopas will find no refuge in the land of Chai."

* * *

"Ah ha ha ha ha!" a cackle came from down the hallway near the entrance to the building. The approaching Giga Koopas were somewhat startled by the crazed laughter. A similar laugh accompanied it.

"Let's move 'em out!" the leading mutant, a Dark Giga Koopatrol growled, running ahead. The other Giga Koopas followed. Once they entered the next room, they saw the source of the laughter.

"I'ma Wario!" the man in a yellow cap and purple overalls cackled, swinging around a Giga Koopa by its tail. "Super…Duper…Wario!" he tossed the monster straight into a wall. His brother Waluigi, in a purple cap and black overalls, lobbed a red-eyed Bob-omb into the Giga Koopa, completely annihilating it.

"Bombs anyone?" Waluigi grinned evilly. He had an entire pile of deactivated, red-eyed Bob-ombs behind him. The Giga Koopas balked and began to step back.

"Attack!" the Dark one ordered, glowing strangely as he focused his energy. As the other Giga Koopas withdrew into their shells and surged forward, Waluigi lobbed Bob-ombs at them. Wario caught any turtles that managed to get through, flipped them on their backs, and began to beat them senseless. Both were laughing maniacally.

"Rawrrr!" the Dark one bellowed. A cloud of fire blasted out of its mouth toward the pile of bombs.

"Uh oh…" Waluigi said, tossing away the bomb in his hand and diving away. The massive explosion wiped out nearly the entire room. Everyone had been plastered against walls in other rooms.

"You gonna' regret that!" Wario yelled, charging the Dark Giga Koopatrol. They locked arms and went into a power struggle. It was slowly pushing Wario back. However, the fat man mustered the strength to lift the creature above him. He jumped into the air and pile-drived it. He added a few punches to its face and grabbed its tail. He swung it around slammed it against the wall. He rammed into it, knocking it through the already crumbling wall. There was another troupe of Giga Koopas here. They watched in shock as he brutalized the Dark Giga Koopatrol. Unbeknownst to them, they were slowly being dispatched one-by-one from behind. Wario took notice as he held the unconscious mutant by its neck. The last Giga Koopa looked terrified as its eyes searched for the unseen threat.

"Down here," Jinx spoke, standing in front of it. It looked down in time to be kicked in the face by the little warrior. It was sent reeling backwards.

"Show offs," Waluigi grumbled, stumbling into the room and rubbing his neck.

"You seem to have things under control," Jinx said, watching several Giga Koopas flee out of the building. "Just passing through." He jumped through one of the holes in a wall and disappeared.

"Hmph!" Wario folded his arms and shook his head. "One million coins…Easy money!"

"Hey." Waluigi tapped his shoulder and pointed through another smashed wall. They could see Buster Beetles and Piranha Plants crawling through another room.

"Ha ha ha!" Wario laughed as he smashed his fist into his hand. "Too easy!"

* * *

"Well," the doctor said, reentering the medical bay. "I've isolated the foreign material in her blood. Besides the usual, I did find a very peculiar compound. It's an alloy of some sort."

"What elements?" Zelda asked, now that the languages had melded once again.

"Chromium, lead, arsenic, and…something that I can't identify," he said, looking at the test results. "I've never heard of such a compound, or that last ingredient, whatever it is."

"Dark Matter," Zelda said worriedly. "The compound is Death Metal. That's what poisoned her."

"Did you find anything else?" Geno asked.

"Just an unusually high level of electrolytes," the doctor said. "That's rather strange for someone with low blood pressure. However, I did prepare something that should get her back on her feet. It should help her regulate whatever is floating around in her blood. Where exactly was this so-called 'cure' administered, again?"

"Around her navel," Geno said uneasily. The doctor took his needle and pierced her belly. As the greenish fluid was injected, she suddenly gasped and began to scream.

"Ahhh!"

"Hold her still!" the doctor yelled. Zelda, Geno, and several nurses held her down even as she continued to struggle.

"No! Stop! It hurts!" Peach cried, flailing her arms and legs.

"Done!" the doctor said, backing away. Peach continued to squirm and cry out. When the others released her, she rolled off the table and scampered out the door, much to everyone's surprise. They leaned outside and saw her limping and stumbling down the hall. She seemed desperate to get away.

"Come on!" Geno said, running after her. Zelda was quick to follow.

"What was in that?" the guard asked the doctor.

"It should have catalyzed the heavy metals…" the doctor said puzzledly.

* * *

Though Peach was in extreme pain, she was doing a good job of losing Geno and Zelda in the maze of hallways. They could easily hear her pained coughs however. It was not long before they began to see a scant trail of tiny red speckles on the floor. They saw her disappear into a closing elevator that was headed to the ground floor. They boarded an adjacent elevator. When they exited on the ground floor, they saw that there was heavy combat between various forces from Bowser's army and the Chainese army. Many of the walls had been torn down, and parts of the outside could be scene from the larger holes. There was a massive explosion as a Doomship crashed outside. The ground shook everyone to the ground. Peach never stopped moving though. She crawled until the ground stopped rumbling enough for her to get to her feet. Geno and Zelda blasted away any enemies that got in their way and sprinted toward Peach, who had entered a stairwell. The red spots on the ground were becoming more numerous and her coughs were becoming more persistent.

Eventually, they followed her into a large, but relatively empty room. It has obviously seen battle a few minutes ago, as could be told by all the scorch marks, broken lights, and dented walls. It seemed to be a cafeteria area. Peach was slowing quite a bit. Geno was about to grab her shoulder when she suddenly flew away from him and into the arms of the people waiting off to the side.

"What the heck?" Geno said, skidding to a halt.

"You!" Zelda yelled. It was Morel and Drow. The former was holding onto Peach with one arm.

"Allow us to introduce ourselves," the Zelda look-alike said, smiling. "My name is Drow. Dear…"

"Thank you, sweetie," Morel nodded, also grinning. "My name is Morel. And we are…" She was interrupted by Peach's hacking coughs. "We are…" Peach's coughing became louder. "Silence!" A wave of sparkles came over Peach, but her coughing continued.

Soldiers from both armies burst through the doors. Bowser's forces were opposite Zelda and Geno. Chainese forces were adjacent to them. Morel, Drow, and Peach were in the middle. Everyone's attention was on Peach who was coughing to a worrisome extent.

"What is wrong with you?" Morel asked, holding her up. Peach slapped her, causing Morel to drop her. Peach grabbed her sides and, in a very sickening hack, spit up a large pool of blood on the floor. It was at least three feet in diameter. She covered her mouth in shock, staring at it. The room had become deadly silent as all held their eyes on the pool of red liquid in front of her. They seemed to be wondering what it was, though they all had an eerie suspicion.

"Wha…what is that?" a soldier asked. "Some kind of bad fruit punch." Peach was muttering to herself again and breathing too hard.

"BLOOD!" she shrieked, now crying.

"Curse!" various members of the Chainese army screamed. They all ran in terror.

"Curse!" Bowser's soldiers cried, fighting each other to get away as fast as they could.

"Two rules left…" Geno sighed. The room was nearly empty now. He stood beside Zelda, both of them glaring at Morel and Drow across from them. Peach kneeled in her own blood, still sobbing and covering her eyes.


	4. Royal Pain

**Royal Pain**

"All this over blood?" Morel said disapprovingly.

"Die!" Zelda shouted, firing off her Shining Ray. It arced away from the duo and hit a wall harmlessly thanks to Drow's telekinesis.

"Someone needs a timeout," Drow said, pulling Peach back with her psychic force. Geno dashed forward at unprecedented speed and sent his palm into Drow's gut. She stumbled back and dropped Peach. He fired a Rocket Punch into Morel at point-blank range. Once both of them had been knocked back, he took a big sigh, as if he had just spent a great deal of energy in his speedy attack. Fortunately, Zelda went straight for Peach.

"Go away!" Peach yelled, running away.

"Peach, I'm trying to help you!" she called, giving chase.

"Snookums," Drow said as she glared at Geno.

"I'm on it," Morel said, running after the others, who had exited. As soon as Geno took aim at her, he was bowled over by Drow's telekinesis.

"You've been quite a nuisance," Drow said, smashing him into the floor repeatedly.

"You should talk," Geno said, struggling to break free.

"I think it's about time you be exterminated once and for all," she said, holding him high in the air. He was unable to move at all.

"Bowser tried that," Geno smirked. "Do you think you'll be able to do any better?"

"Temporary is better than not at all," she smiled back, holding up both hands cupped. "Farewell, officer." She sliced the air with her hands and Geno flew to pieces. Once she saw that he was no longer animated, she ran off after the others.

A tiny star rose up out of Geno's head and slipped under his cap. It pushed out a Geno doll that had been hidden underneath it and fused with it. A column of light came over the doll and it grew to human size.

"That was inconvenient," Geno said tiredly. He recollected his Star Guns and dashed off toward the others.

* * *

Peach had managed to lose Zelda after going into another elevator. She came out into an abandoned, but active area. The walls were metallic, and silver, with occasional colored areas. It was brightly lit, but there was something flashing beyond the small corridor. No one was around, but there was the sound of machinery. She held her stomach as she walked and gazed upon a large power generator. It looked like a fifty-foot tower with spikes coming out of the walls to point toward the tip of the top. Regular bursts of electricity shot from the spikes and into the generator and vice versa. 

"Over here…" a voice whispered from a wall. Peach hesitated but slowly drew closer to the wall. There was a small area of black glass on the silver metal wall. She looked through the glass and saw nothing. Morel walked up behind her, smiling to herself. She casually grabbed the back of Peach's head and shoved it through the glass. Peach fell limp instantly, not even having a chance to cry out.

"No wonder you get kidnapped so often," Morel chuckled. She walked out into the middle of the room, toward the power generator. She shook her head. "Tsk tsk. Now, I'll have to bring this down too."

"Don't move!" Zelda called from behind her. She had fully charged her Shining Ray and had it ready to fire at Morel.

"You don't know when to give up, do you?" Morel asked, humored. "Don't you agree, Cupcake?"

"Most certainly," Drow's voice echoed. Half a dozen fireballs flew from behind Morel and toward Zelda. She fired her Shining Ray, which managed to cancel out with the fireballs.

"You're the ones who framed us, aren't you?" Zelda yelled angrily.

Drow stepped from behind Morel and smirked. "Framed you? Whatever do you mean? The Sages wanted to kill you in the first place. We just fanned the fire. Who do you think gave you and Saria those terrible dreams?" Morel tapped Drow's forehead teasingly.

"Who would have guessed it would have worked so well?" Morel giggled. "Neither of us saw that whole Dark Link episode coming."

Zelda clenched her fists, unable to speak coherently because of the intense anger coursing through her.

"Ohhh…" Peach moaned from behind her. She pulled herself out of the wall and she was suddenly healed of her wounds. She winced as a sharp pain went into her stomach and looked toward the doppelgangers.

"I want you to fight your best," Morel smiled. "No sense in fighting injured. Nothing I can do about the pain though."

"Who are you?" Peach asked, still holding her stomach.

"The fruits of Project Royal Pain," Drow said. "Remember when you two were captured after being massacred by Bolt?"

"Well," Morel continued, "we're the reason you were there for four months. Remember what you saw, Peach? You woke up for a few seconds." Peach's eyes widened in shock. "It wasn't your reflection. It was me, your own clone."

"No more words!" Zelda growled. Drow raised her arm and the Gilded Sword shot out toward Zelda. The gold sword stopped inches from her face and floated before her.

"Take it," Drow said. "I'd like to fight the real Zelda for once. Hopefully, you'll be more of a challenge than those simulations." Zelda snatched the sword and ran straight for her clone. Her slash passed right through Drow as she faded away. She felt a slash along her back and stumbled forward. She turned and blocked the two short swords Drow was using.

"That's hardly fair!" Zelda grunted.

"It's not how many swords you have," Drow smirked, breaking away. "It's how you use them." She made another strike with both swords, knocking Zelda to the side even as she blocked. Zelda dashed to the side and ran up the wall to kick off and attempt an aerial strike. Drow backflipped out of the way dashed forward. She jumped a low strike from Zelda, and hopped off of her shoulders. While Zelda was off-balanced, she poked her from behind.

"Ow!" Zelda yelped, jumping and turning around. She dashed again to resume the fight.

Meanwhile, Morel kept her focus on Peach, even as the clangs of sword strikes and grunting were heard behind her. She cracked her knuckles and then her neck. Peach took a breath and attempted to ignore her aching stomach. At least the pain had disappeared in most other areas. Only her lower abdomen was giving her trouble. She jogged forward and attempted to slap Morel.

Morel caught her hand, grinning. "Slapping is for prissy, pansy, pussies, Peach." With that said, she sent a right hook into Peach's jaw. Peach stumbled and fell victim to several more vicious punches. An uppercut made her stumble backwards. Before she could fall back, Morel grabbed her by the collar of her dress and pulled her back up. "This is disappointing. Even the easiest sim was harder than this. Did the poison really hurt you that bad?"

"Yes…" Peach groaned. As Morel was about to make a snide remark, Peach grabbed her head and caught her with a headbutt. She repeated twice more before Morel kneed her in the stomach. Peach doubled over.

"Much better," Morel smiled, spitting to the side. She used a cyclone kick to flip back while knocking Peach away head over heels. Peach rolled to her feet. Morel jumped and hopped on her head several times. Dazed, Peach dived away just as Morel flipped into a ground pound, creating a noticeable dent in the floor. "Buns of steel," Morel said, patting her hip. She was suddenly bopped by a sheep and fell asleep.

"Whew!" Peach sighed of relief. She turned toward Zelda and Drow, who were in high-speed combat, using their ninja-like skills. Drow was dodgingand blocking everything with superior skill while Zelda was taking a few too many cuts. It seemed that Drow was using a somewhat different style. Her stance resembled that of a Gerudo, with swords spread away from the body. Her attacks were quick slices like that of a Sheikah. She flipped over or under horizontal strikes, and spun around vertical attacks. Whenever she blocked, it was a parrying slash. Peach ran to help, but was grabbed from behind by her waist.

"Ah ah ah," Morel said. She arched back, German-suplexing Peach behind her. Peach bounced in a daze a short distance and lay on the ground vulnerably. Morel stood up and approached her threateningly. Peach quickly did a sweeping kick, but Morel floated up. Peach got up and raised her hand, ready to throw a Psych Bomb. Unfortunately, her powers were still nullified.

"Oh, no!" Peach cried.

"What, this?" Morel said, materializing a bomb in each hand. She jumped high into the air and floated there. She lobbed the bombs, and more, down at Peach. Peach could only run, but was imminently caught in some of the massive explosions. Once the smoke cleared, she was still standing, but looked as if she would drop any second. A brief, nearly unnoticeable flash came from Morel and Peach's wounds were healed.

"Ah!" Peach yelped, grabbing her stomach once again.

"You're not getting out of it that easily," Morel smiled, floating to the floor gently. "It's strange that you managed to use Sleepy Time, but not Psych Bomb. Are you holding back on purpose? Don't want to kill another living creature?" Peach reached into the ground and pulled out a bomb. "Oh, the gloves…" Peach threw it at Morel, who was caught in the blast. She jumped out of the smoke and tackled Peach. She began to choke her and slam her against the ground, giggling the whole time.

Once Peach seemed beaten, she got off her and stood over her triumphantly. Peach turned onto her belly and attempted to crawl away, but was caught by her leg. Morel lifted her by her leg, letting Peach's dress fall nearly inside out. Peach twisted her body and went into a spin to break Morel's grip. Landing on her hands, she continued to spin upside-down. Morel was batted away, giving Peach the chance to stand up and rush her. Before she could land a hit, Morel turned around and buried her fist in Peach's stomach.

"Ah!" Peach gasped, doubling over. She would have fell to her knees had Morel not held her by the tuft of hair above her forehead. She lifted her up straight while Peach continued to clutch her throbbing stomach. Morel wrapped her arms around her in a particularly tight bear hug. In only a few seconds, Peach felt and heard her spine snap. She was immediately filled with pain though, since Morel healed her as soon as she heard the snap. Morel dropped her and planted her fist into Peach's abdomen once again, focusing her healing powers there. Peach squirmed and grunted, but she eventually began screaming from the immense pain.

Meanwhile, Zelda was knocked against the wall, dropping her sword. She had many small cuts all over her body. Drow stood some distance away, holding up her swords at her sides. She smiled as they caught fire and flew out of her hands, circling around her.

"Would you prefer a contest in magic powers?" Drow laughed as the swords slammed into the floor in front of her. Zelda responded by focusing on her Gilded Sword. It slowly rose and came back into her hand. She slowly stood up and took a fighting stance.

"Shut…up…" Zelda growled.

"You're going to get yourself hurt like that," Drow replied. Her swords rose up and flew at Zelda. Zelda blocked them, but they were pushing her back against the wall. When she tried to use her telekinesis on them, she found it futile. Drow had too much control. Eventually, the swords flew back to Drow and disappeared. She lifted a nearby control panel and tossed it at Zelda. Zelda teleported out of the way, and sent a fireball towards Drow. The clone leaned to the side as the fireball floated by.

"Ah!" came a cry. Drow turned and saw that Morel had been burned.

"Peach, switch!" Zelda called out, jumping over Drow. Peach scampered past Morel and Zelda to confront Drow.

"You know you don't stand a chance," Drow warned Peach.

"Then, I'll just have to hope," Peach said, charging her.

Morel floated away from Zelda's sword swipes, healing herself in the process. "You think you can take me on with a sword?" Morel asked mockingly. She reached into her dress and pulled out the Master Sword. Zelda was so stunned, she almost forgot to block the immediate strike. The heavier Sword of Evil's Bane easily batted around the Gilded Sword. Zelda attempted to push her back with telekinesis, but Morel sidestepped and floated around her so that they were back to back. Morel tossed her sword into the air, grabbed Zelda's neck and slammed it onto her shoulder as she dropped on her rear.

"Ah!" Zelda groaned, rubbing her neck. Morel stepped on her chest, pinning her down. She caught her sword and pointed it at Zelda's neck.

"Pumpkin," she called over to Drow.

"Yes, Muffin?" Drow called back, immobilizing Peach with her psychic hold.

"We're not supposed to kill Zelda, right?"

"That's what Ganondorf said. But if you should happen to…slip, well, I won't tell. You can always revive her later."

"Later, Zel," Morel said, smiling sweetly. Just as she was about to slay Zelda, Morel was knocked across the floor from behind. "What the heck?" She got to her knees, but was knocked into the air by a red and green blur. She floated in the air to see what it was. When she fell, she looked toward corridors and saw nothing.

"Down here," a voice said. She looked down and saw Jinx standing there, with his consistently piercing eyes.

"Stompy, stompy," she said, lifting her foot to step on him. He blurred behind her, and faced Zelda. "Hey, where'd you go?"

"Silver Bullet," he said to Zelda, as if he were a teacher. He made a simple hop and sent a backward kick into the small of Morel's back with a crunch.

"Aaaah!" Morel screamed flying forward and skidding across the floor facedown.

"Dearest?" Drow said with concern, turning to her. She saw Jinx standing in front of Zelda, with his back to the fallen Morel. "Snookums?" Morel managed to roll over enough to face Drow.

"I can't feel my legs…" Morel whined.

"Don't even think about healing," Jinx said, still with his back turned to her.

"You stay away from her!" Drow yelled, unconsciously squeezing Peach in the air. "Get away or…"

"Hand over the Princess," Jinx spoke with deathly calm. "Or else your friend won't be feeling anything…"

"Whatever you say," Drow said quickly, to everyone's surprise. Peach floated over to Zelda and was lowered gently to the ground. "Now, please…don't hurt her."

"Why should we let her go?" Zelda asked bitterly, already charging her Shining Ray. "Not after what they did."

"Please…" Drow said, dropping to her knees and bowing. "I'm sorry…for everything. We had orders. There was no choice."

"You seem to enjoy your work," Geno said, walking in with a fuming Daisy. Geno had leant her his cape and only wore a blue tunic and shorts.

"Let them go," Peach said tiredly, falling into a sitting position.

"How can you say that?" Zelda balked. "After everything they've done…"

"What do you want?" Drow asked desperately, as soldiers began to pour into the room.

"Release them!" a familiar voice called. Out of the crowd of soldiers came a tanned woman in red and pink silk robes. It was Syrup.

"Why?" Zelda yelled.

"We just struck a deal with the enemy," she explained. "They're scared to death of whatever they saw here and plenty of our own are as well. They're only sticking around because of these two. If they return to their base, this war will be over."

"May I take her now?" Drow asked. Jinx stepped away from Morel and nodded. Morel was lifted up and hovered into Drow's arms. "You're safe now, my beloved." They both looked back at the crowd before them.

"We'll probably have to fight again," Morel said. "But we won't forget this." In a flash of green, they were gone.

"Ma'am," one of the soldiers said to Syrup. "Enemy aircraft are in full retreat."

"This battle is done," Syrup said.

* * *

Zelda stood outside Peach's room in the hospital. Zelda had been fully bandaged in the necessary areas and given proper health items. Right now, Peach was meeting her friends and family. She had not seen them since Bowser's siege on her castle. As one of her doctors walked by, Zelda stopped him. 

"Do you know what's wrong with her?"

"It seems to be the effects of that Death Metal you mentioned," he said. "It's been subsiding the whole time though. She just needs to get it out of her system. Disturbingly enough, bleeding seems to be the key. She had already been bleeding internally. Vomiting was the only way for her to get rid of the blood in her stomach."

"How long will she be like this?"

"Days to weeks," he said ambiguously. "It's hard to predict recovery from a previously unknown poison. Whatever that cure was, it's making her bleed easier. However, giving her any restoratives fights the cure…and the cure fights back by putting her in pain. The stress slows down her natural healing process, so she won't be healthy for a while." He noticed the thoughtful, but troubled face on Zelda. "Something wrong?"

"Just…no, nothing important," Zelda said. "Thank you." The doctor continued on his way. Minutes later, Peach's guests exited. Her grandmother stopped before her and bowed.

"Thank you, dear child," the old Toad woman said.

"For what?"

"You've taken such good care of Peach," she said. "When I heard what happened in Birabuto, I had feared the worst. But you brought her back alive. I can't thank you enough."

"Hey, Zel," Daisy said. "Peach wants to talk to you."

"All right," Zelda said, entering. She found Peach lying in a white bed, wearing a hospital gown. There were several tubes going into her, helping to drain some of the misplaced blood.

"Hello, Zelda," Peach said with slight, but sickly cheer.

"Hello, Peach. How are you feeling?"

"About the same…well, actually…kind of weird."

"What do you mean?"

"It still hurts, but in…certain places…besides my stomach that is."

"Like?"

"My chest for one thing," Peach said. "And I keep having cramps…down there."

"…I think you're just having your period," Zelda smiled tiredly. "I'm about due for mine, too…"

"Period?"

"You know, that time of the month," Zelda said. "You're bleeding…down there, aren't you?"

Peach blushed. "Yes, but Toads don't do that."

"But you're human," Zelda said without thinking.

"Only half-human," she reminded her. "To tell the truth, I'm not even sure if I'm human at all… But the doctor did say that I would be feeling strange because of where I've been wounded…or cured…"

"And where would that be?" Zelda asked distantly. She had drifted into her own thoughts and was not listening closely.

"…The top of my…uterus," Peach said, feeling strange for saying that word. She honestly hadn't even known that she had one."And he said that my heart and lungs would probably be having problems too."

"Right…" Zelda said distractedly, not fully absorbing what Peach had said. "Anyway, what did you want to tell me?"

"Syrup wants us to do a spy mission," Peach said. "Apparently, they've got a lot of spies planted in Bowser's army because he's been acting so evil…more evil than usual anyway. One of her best informants told her about a new secret weapon that can kill anything and everything within fifty miles."

"What does that have to do with us?" Zelda asked. "Can't she just send in a strike team?"

"That wouldn't work," Peach said. "We'd be the only ones who'd be able to get in."

"Why?"

"Our clones are there," Peach said uncomfortably. Zelda narrowed her eyes.

"I see… What's the mission?"

"There's a prototype microchip holding all the data for this weapon," Peach explained, coughing slightly. "If we can pose as our counterparts, it shouldn't be too hard to walk out with it."

"Microchip?" Zelda asked. "Like…woodchips?"

"It's a computer part," Peach sighed. "Now...there're also other things we can get back along the way. While we were in Hyrule, Morel took my mother's heirloom that Grandma had been holding. Grandma said it would be useful to us somehow."

"I can get back the Master Sword," Zelda thought aloud. "I like this idea."

"Good," Peach said, hacking. She placed a hand on her heart, feeling it pang slightly. She took a moment to catch her breath before continuing. "The Sarasaland government has a hideout near the place, so once I'm all better, we can start right away."

"Where is the base?" Zelda asked, handing her a glass of water from the nearby table. "And take your time."

Peach coughed a bit more and sipped at the water. She closed her eyes and waited until she had caught her breath. "The Nintendo Building in Mushroom City," Peach answered. She did not notice the light trickle of blood coming out of the side of her mouth.


	5. Keep Your Friends Close

**Keep Your Friends Close**

After nearly a month of attempting to recover, Peach had managed to regain her powers. Thus far, her aches and pains had nearly disappeared. All that remained was a nagging stinging in her stomach and some occasional internal bleeding. Even after attempting to heal herself, it only increased the sharpness there. However, against her doctors' recommendations, she decided she was well enough to carry out her mission. Of course, she made no mention of it to her subjects the Toads, who visited her every day. She could easily remember how every one of them had abhorred the idea of a princess going on dangerous missions and adventures years ago when Smithy had attacked. Back then, she had snuck out of the castle to join Mario's group, while her Grandmother took her place in disguise. Now, though, she had to depend on a Duplighost from Toad Town. He was one of the Master's apprentices, Lee.

Princess Syrup, or Maple as Daisy chose to teasingly call her, called everyone involved in the mission to a briefing. Peach and Zelda arrived in a room that was painted in such a way as to resemble the beautiful landscape of Chai. The walls were rounded to be without corners and a nice blue skyline could be seen near the ceiling. It reminded Peach of a similar design she had used for her own castle. Everyone was seated at a series of tables that formed a partial circle. Many of the faces were very familiar. Daisy and Syrup were there, seated side-by-side. Jinx sat ona pile of books that were stacked onto his chair. Geno sat next to him. Wario and Waluigi sat opposite Daisy and Syrup. The rest of the attendees were a variety of beings from Sarasaland and beyond. There was a large screen of a map floating where the circle was broken. It marked various parts of the world where bases were stationed, both enemy and ally. Peach and Zelda took their seats next to Geno.

"All right, people," Syrup said loudly. "Let's get this started. We all know the gist of the mission, but this meeting is for the details. Now, if you'll all look at that map, you'll see that the Koopas have completely cleared out of Sarasaland."

"But," Daisy added, "it's totally obvious that they're taking over other places. Check out Dinosaur Land for instance. The place is loaded with fortresses and checkpoints. Yoshi's Island is completely overrun thanks to the 8-Bits Club."

"And the DK Isles are in it pretty deep, too," Syrup said grimly. "We recently received intelligence that the Kremlings have surrendered. The whereabouts of the Kongs are unknown."

"Booster's Tower has fallen," Geno spoke.

"And Monstro Town has been defiled," Jinx said, narrowing his eyes.

"Don't forget Nimbus Land," Peach said sadly.

"The point is," Syrup sighed, "we're the only ones who can stop the Koopa Kingdom from taking over the world. We've already made a lot of progress to get them out of Sarasaland, Mario Land, and…" She shuddered.

"Wario Land!" Wario laughed.

"…The Kitchen Islands," Syrup said glaringly. "Anyway, to keep it up, we need to know what we're up against. We've gotten plenty of intelligence from disenfranchised members of the Koopa Troop. The most important piece of info concerns a super weapon that can kill every living thing in a fifty-mile radius. It's supposed to be like a Gira, or a Bullet Bill. Our informant couldn't give us much more than that, so we need to find out for ourselves and, if possible, get rid of it." The screen zoomed in on the Mushroom Kingdom, then Mushroom City. A picture of the Nintendo Building, which looked like a giant Mushroom building, appeared off to the side.

"Apparently, this is, like, the site where they're keeping it," Daisy said. "Bowser's got a super strong hold on the city. Good thing for us, we've got connections. The basic plan is for Peach and Zelda to get into their facility."

"And how are we supposed to do that?" Zelda asked skeptically. "We can't just walk in there and say we're Morel and Drow."

"You won't have to worry about that too much," Daisy winked. "Bowser's smart enough to let Nintendo continue its business since he has a contract with them."

"Contract?" Zelda asked.

"We get a portion of the sales for their games and merchandise," Peach explained. "It's how I acquired a cash flow to rejuvenate our economy. Most of the people we know have done the same thing. That's why we've appeared in their games so many times."

"Anyway," Daisy said, "Nintendo's hosting a convention. It's especially stressing cosplay…"

"What?" Zelda asked.

"It's like a total geek fest," Daisy chuckled. "Kinda fun though."

"People dress up as their favorite characters," Geno explained. "I understand now. If Peach and Zelda were to go there, no one would believe they were the real ones."

"Exactly," Daisy said. "Most importantly of all, Drow and Morel are supposed to attend as well."

Syrup clarified, "Our two princesses will separately rendezvous with a clone that isn't their own. Morel and Zelda will pair off, while Drow and Peach pair off elsewhere. It's no secret that they're _far_ beyond the point of simple friends, so you'll have to act the part." Both Peach and Zelda had looks of discomfort.

"Fortunately, we've got plenty of info on their dispositions," Daisy said. "In a way, they're a little like you two. Morel, the Peach clone, is a bit more free-spirited and wild. She's also the dumb blonde." Peach frowned.

"Drow, on the other hand," Syrup said, "is a bit more stable. She's the smartest probably the most dangerous."

"Before you go to the convention, though, you're going to meet up with Luigi and the Master. They've got your clothes. Apparently, the castle has hardly been touched since you left. It was pretty easy to recover your stuff."

"Just as a precaution," Syrup said, "Geno and Daisy will be accompanying you, but not to the convention. If things go bad, they should be able to get you out quickly."

"How are we going to get there anyway?" Zelda asked.

"Via one of our new stealth transport ships," Syrup said.

"I'm driving," Daisy grinned. Zelda groaned.

"Shotgun," Geno said quietly.

* * *

To Zelda's relief, Daisy was flying slow and easy. Firstly, she did not want to give away their presence by going too fast. Secondly, it was snowing in the Mushroom Kingdom, reminding Peach how long she had been gone. The craft had been slightly larger than Zelda had guessed it would be. Besides the pilot's cabin, there was a very large compartment area for everyone. There was even enough space for a smaller black craft.

"Daisy," Zelda asked, "what is that thing in the compartment area?"

"The Blue Falcon, painted black," Daisy said casually. "It works kind of like that vehicle I, like, drove you and Peach around in. Remember?"

Peach peeked into the pilot's cabin and said disapprovingly, "You do know that that's copyright infringement, don't you?"

"What Nintendo doesn't know won't hurt them," Daisy grinned. "Besides, they say imitation is like the best form of flattery."

"Not with the copyright laws active around here," Geno muttered.

The transport ship, which had a cloaking device activated, slowed to a halt some hours later. Everyone came out into what appeared to be an abandoned hangar. There were dusty tools strewn about, but absolutely no other aircraft. Only the sunlight coming through the high, dusty windows provided any light.

"Daisy!" Luigi called out from shadows.

"Luigi!" Daisy ran and grasped him in a hug. "Oh, I'm so glad to see you!"

"Not so tight!" Luigi squealed.

"Sorry," she said, loosening her grip a bit.

"Hi, Zelda, Peach, Geno," he nodded, breaking away from Daisy. "Follow me." Daisy pointed her key chain at the ship and pressed a button. The ship beeped twice and became invisible.

They followed Luigi past a few Sarasaland guards and into a pipe. After exiting the pipe, they came out into a small facility. It still seemed to be a part of the hangar, but there were a few screens, computers, and control panels about. There were more Sarasaland guards here, as well as a few Goombas and Koopas.

"Hello, there," the Master coughed.

"I'm glad you're safe," Zelda nodded.

"It wouldn't be the first cliff I've jumped off of," he smiled. "I have your attire ready." He pointed to a wall where their clothing was hung.

"Those aren't their dresses," Daisy said, confused.

"Those are Mario's clothes…sort of…" Peach said.

"And Link's too," Zelda said.

"We had a last minute change," Luigi shrugged. "Apparently, your counterparts couldn't make up their minds about what to wear. You should see how many costumes we made."

Geno asked calmly, "Why is Mario's shirt and cap pink? And why is there a P instead of an M?"

"Morel is very fickle," the Master coughed. "Now, you should hurry and get dressed. You're already late for the convention."

Peach and Zelda had dressed as Morel and Drow planned to. They were riding in the back of Daisy's black Blue Falcon. It stood out a bit more than Daisy had anticipated in the snowy streets of Mushroom City. It wasn't too conspicuous, though, considering there was a Nintendo convention in town. Once they were near the large mushroom-shaped building, Daisy pulled into an alley a block away.

"Why did you stop here?" Peach asked.

"Don't worry about it," Daisy said quickly. "Just get out there and try to act average…"

"In a city with a lack of humans…" Zelda sighed, feeling somewhat ridiculous carrying a fake sword and shield on her back. She also felt silly wearing Link's hat. She had tucked her hair into the hat.

"Like, stop worrying already!" Daisy said. "Mushroom City is one of the most diverse areas in the kingdom. Now, remember to find the chip. If you get in trouble, telepath us a message. Got it?"

"Right," Zelda said unenthusiastically. She and Peach slid out of the craft, walked out of the alley, and toward the Nintendo building.

Geno smirked at Daisy knowingly and she blushed.

"What?" she asked.

"You know Nintendo would sue you if they ever found out that you built an actual F-Zero machine. That's why you parked out of sight."

"…No…" she said unconvincingly. "I just…don't want to draw attention to ourselves… Yeah, that's it. No need for extra attention on a spy mission."

"Then, why are you planning to dress as Samus with a Varia Suit?" Geno smirked.

"…Because… Just because."

"Go ahead and geek out," he said, reclining in his seat. "I'll keep up my guard."

"Really? Thank you!" she cheered, hopping out to open the trunk.

"Bring me back a Geno doll," he called.

She snickered and whispered to herself, "Yeah, fat chance of finding a Geno doll without Square."

* * *

Peach tied her hair into a ponytail as she and Zelda walked into the main room of the convention. There were booths everywhere. There were also many more cosplayers than they had been led to expect.

"So, what do you think?" Peach asked Zelda.

"This is disturbing," Zelda said, keeping her eyes on a particular group of Bandit cosplayers dressed as characters from her world. They even had masks that looked like actual faces.

"Well…" Peach began before she caught sight of a Pianta dressed as Peach. "Okay, it's creepy. But we have to split up and stay on the lookout. We wouldn't want to be spotted together."

"You've done this before, haven't you?" Zelda asked suspiciously.

"Once upon a time," Peach swayed. "Luigi dressed as me and I dressed like him, but it was to trick Bowser because he had… It's a long story. I'll see you later." She quickly moved further into the crowd, leaving Zelda standing there feeling silly by herself.

"Hey," said a pink Bob-omb, who was costumed as Kirby. "That's an awesome Link outfit. You look just like him."

"Um, thanks," Zelda said, looking down at him.

"Yeah," agreed a human man dressed as a decent, if somewhat scrawny Ganondorf. "I came all the way from Birabuto to win the costume contest, but I don't stand a chance against that."

"Thank you," Zelda said shyly.

"She can't beat my costume," said a confident Toad.

"Who are you supposed to be?" the Kirby Bob-omb asked.

"Toad," he answered.

"Lame," the Bob-omb and human said dismissively.

A red Pianta dressed as Mario strolled along. "Nice Link getup."

"You think so?" Zelda blushed.

"If Link ever had a sister, it'd be you," the Pianta smiled. Zelda held back a grimace.

A Doogan dressed as Fox walked up snickering, "I saw this girl who looked exactly like Zelda. Anybody ever wonder whether Link and Zelda are actually siblings?" Zelda's eyes widened, but she took control of her expression.

"I've noticed the resemblance," the human snickered along.

The Bob-omb giggled, "That's great fanfic fodder. Just imagine them finding out on the honeymoon." Everyone in the small gathering except Zelda laughed out loud.

"L-O-L, man!" the Doogan chuckled. "Ah… Link would go with Malon anyway."

"No way," the Pianta said. "Zelda's the princess. The hero has to be with the princess. Always. I tell ya, one of these days even Mario and Peach are going to get hitched."

"I've always been more of a Saria person," the Bob-omb said. "It's obvious she's had a crush on him forever."

"Ruto is and always will be the hottest," the human said. He looked to Zelda and asked, "What about you, Miss Link?"

"Yeah," the Doogan said as they all looked at her. "Who do you think Link would go with?"

"Um… I really don't know," she said, blushing.

"Who knows?" the Pianta said jokingly. "He might just go with Sheik." They all began to laugh again.

"Dude," the Doogan laughed. "Sheik's a dude."

"In Melee, he's a she," the Pianta reasoned. "Besides, you never know about Link…"

"What do you mean?" Zelda asked worriedly.

"I'm just saying…he might be into other types of people," the Pianta said suggestively.

"Nah!" the Bob-omb said dismissively. "There's way too many girls in that game for him to go for guys."

"You think he's gay!" Zelda said a little too loudly.

"Chill," the Doogan said. "There's not even enough guys in the game for that…unless you think he'd go for Ganondorf."

"Ew!" they all said, including Zelda.

"Sick, dude!" the human said, taking a step away from Zelda. "What's with all the shounen-ai all of a sudden? Aren't those Marth, Roy, and Link ideas enough?"

"Well, if he were real," the Bob-omb said, "I'm sure he'd go straight for Peach, just like in the stories."

"He'd what?" Zelda asked, nearly growling.

"You haven't seen all those stories?" the Bob-omb asked. "They're all over the net."

"Oh, dear…" Zelda muttered.

"Sugar?" a familiar voice asked. Zelda turned and saw Morel standing there, dressed in a Zelda costume. She had gone the full length of preparing a costume. She had purple eye shadow, black eyeliner, gold Triforce earrings, a jeweled tiara, and even straightened hair.

"Nice Zelda outfit," the others said.

"Thanks," Morel smiled. "It cost a pretty penny." She hooked her arm into Zelda's and walked her away. "Now, Cookie, I told you we were switching with each other instead of Link and Mario."

"Oh… Sorry," Zelda said uncomfortably.

Morel sighed. "Oh, well. If we can't be Nintendo's heroes of legend, at least we can be the stars of the Legend of Zelda. Plus, Zelda and Link do make a nice couple." She gave Zelda a soft kiss on the cheek. Zelda felt a shiver go up her spine.

She thought to herself, "At least Peach is suffering as much as I am."

* * *

"…And that's why I think Peach is into bondage." Peach had been listening to a well-spoken Koopa dressed very convincingly as one of the Koopa Bros. She and a small group of other cosplayers were gathered at a booth for Pikmin. So far, Peach was the only one defending her own name. She was upset that everyone seemed to be agreeing with him.

"You can't seriously believe that," Peach whined.

"Well, think about it," said a person in a perfect Varia Suit. "Peach is pretty much a Mary Sue of videogames. She's perfect in practically every way. Anyone like that has to have some kind of dark secret or something."

"Mary Sue?" Peach raised an eyebrow.

"She can heal, raise the dead, put someone to sleep, break curses, cook, play just about any sport, and she has a totally awesome friend, the Princess of Sarasaland. With a friend like that, Peach is almost automatically perfect."

"You mean that girl who keeps showing up in the sports and party games?" asked a Noki dressed as a Squirtle. "Yeah, she's annoying as all get-out. Anybody would be perfect compared to her." The person dressed as Samus raised her arm cannon and it actually began to power up.

"Don't diss the Daiz," she warned.

"That's a pretty good suit you put together," the Noki said. "I can even feel the heat coming off of the cannon."

"Let's not start any fights," Peach said, forcing her cannon down. She knew it was Daisy. She whispered, "Especially not with illegally manufactured goods."

There was a commotion a short distance away. They all looked and saw several people dressed inappropriately.

"Hey… That's not Nintendo!" someone called out. "Tomb Raider sucks!"

"Halo rules! Metroid drools!"

"PS2 beats Gamecube anydaAAH!" Peach stood up on a table and saw Drow, dressed as Peach, standing before the fallen Nintendo-bashers. They looked as if their bones had somehow broken in their limbs. Security in the form of Giga Koopas came to pick them up and carry them out. It was a powerful reminder of Bowser's rule over the area.

Drow folded her arms, calling out to the Cloud character, "Don't come back without Geno." She then spotted Peach and quickly moved through the crowd to her. Her hair was styled to the shape Peach's hair usually took. Like Morel, she looked excruciatingly authentic.

"Hi there," Peach said politely.

"Sorry I'm late," Drow said, quickly wrapping her arm around Peach's waist. "…I thought we were going to switch?"

"Oh…" Peach put a stupid smile on her face and giggled, "I couldn't make up my mind."

"Whatever suits you best, love muffin," Drow said affectionately. "Let's just enjoy ourselves."


	6. And Your Enemies Closer

**And Your Enemies Closer**

It had been hours since Peach and Zelda had joined with Drow and Morel. They kept up their act as best as they could. Though it was somewhat nerve-racking, Peach was becoming more at ease with Drow. The Zelda-clone never showed a hint of suspicion and remained courteous and affectionate. Even Zelda, who was not as comfortable being with the enemy, found it relatively easy to fool Morel. As long as they did not shrink away from the clones' signs of affection, particularly the perpetual use of pet names, they were sure the mission would continue smoothly. Eventually, however, Zelda became concerned as the convention was drawing to a close. The mission would be ruined if both parties were to leave simultaneously. She looked over to Morel, who was buying dozens of packs of Pokemon cards with her seemingly endless supply of money. She had already bought bags and bags of Nintendo merchandise. Zelda was carrying a half of the load and was feeling rather tired.

"Morel, dear?" Zelda called out to her.

"Huh?" Morel said, giving Zelda her attention.

"I just wanted to let you know that I'll be ready whenever you're ready to leave," Zelda said.

"Oh. Okay." Morel turned back to what she was doing and Zelda's eyes narrowed.

"_Peach. Can you hear me? It's Zelda."_

"_I can hear you. Is anything wrong?"_

"_The convention is winding down. I can't get Morel to leave yet. Can you convince Drow to leave with you now?"_

"_I'll see… How do I contact you? I don't have telepathy."_

"_Just concentrate and direct your thoughts to me. A telepath can hear thoughts that are directed toward them as communication as long as you're not out of range. You don't have to worry about Drow hearing you."_

"_Okay, I'll see what I can do._"

* * *

Peach and Drow were eating in a café. Drow had only bought a few games and a poster of Peach. It was a relatively quiet meal, but Drow seemed to be perfectly content just being around her. She had a gentle smile on the whole time.

"Um, Drow?" Peach said.

"Yes, dear?"

"Are you ready to go? I'm feeling a little…"

"Tired? I'm ready whenever you're ready," Drow smiled. "My room or yours?"

"…Yours," Peach answered, hiding her worries about the implications. She quickly relayed her success to Zelda. Once they had finished eating, they left a few coins and went to the elevator. Peach paid close attention to which floor Drow would take them. However, instead of selecting a floor or even opening a secret panel, Drow simply held onto her and they teleported.

They appeared inside what seemed to be Drow's bedroom. It was a cozy room with walls that faded from lavender to white. The floor was a royal blue carpet. There was a queen-sized bed, a dresser, a lamp on each of the two end tables on both sides of the bed, a closet, and a bathroom. There was also an intercom on a conspicuously blank wall. The other walls all had something on them. There was a series of clocks that showed different times in various locations in the world on the wall between the bathroom and the closet. There did not seem to be a door leading outside the room, though. There was a Hylian Shield painted into the wall above the bed. What especially caught her attention was the painting of Morel hanging on the wall opposite the bathroom and closet. It was beautiful, yet borderline lewd. Morel was looking off to the side, smiling slightly as she held a cloth, perhaps a bed sheet, just high enough to cover herself, though it didnot cover her side. She was blushing slightly and her hair covered half her face.

Peach noticed that she was gaping and promptly looked back to Drow.

The clone had already gone into the closet and called out. "I'm glad you like it. Holding a pose for six hours pays off, see?"

"Yes," Peach said.

"Would you like to change?" Drow asked, coming out with a cotton, lilac nightgown folded over her arm.

"Okay."

"I put some of your clothes in the closet. Two of your nighties are in there, if you want." Peach nodded and walked past her into the closet. She began to think about exactly how to get any information out of her. There was nothing of importance in plain sight. She thought it would be more than a little suspicious to ask for the microchip or Master Sword outright. Since she wasn't making any real progress at the moment, she thought that it would be best to mention the items casually.

She picked a particularly nice-looking, red and pink robe. It was silky to the touch. With the clothing in hand, she turned to step out of the closet and began, "Hey, Drow…" She stopped and dropped the robe as her mouth hung wide open. Drow had completely removed her costume and was nude, since the underwear was part of the costume. Peach was shocked enough that the costume consisted of a _complete_ copy of her wardrobe, but seeing someone in her birthday suit was a completely unfamiliar place for her.

"Something wrong?" Drow asked, glancing back at her as she pulled on her nightgown. Peach was panicked and confused all at once. In her naiveté, she had no idea why a person would undress in front of another, even if they were in love.

"…Uh…I…Do you know where the Master Sword and microchip for the super-weapon are?" she blurted. Her eyes widened once the final word exited her mouth. It was all too obvious. She had failed already.

Drow gave her a strange look and smiled. "You almost had me… You know _you're_ the one in charge of those. Now, tell me. Do you know where the Wanderer's jewel is?"

Peach caught on and smiled, "You have it, silly."

Drow giggled and embraced her, causing Peach to blush deeply. "Shall we move to the bed, my love?"

* * *

Zelda followed Morel back to her room through the metallic hallway. They had gone through several security checkpoints. The facility was swarming with mutants, scientists, and troops. She hadn't even recognized some of the monsters. It was no wonder Syrup and Daisy had not sent in a strike team instead. Eventually, Morel led them into her room. The walls faded from gray to black. The carpet was rouge colored. It mirrored Drow's room. However, it was much less plain and more cluttered. Zelda took especial note of the wall with nothing but hooks for various forms of binding including cords, ropes, thick silk threads, sashes, belts, and even chains. There was a flattering photograph of Drow in a swimsuit in a frame hanging above the bed. The wall where the door was had a bunch of items placed on racks. There were creams, perfumes, many different types of jewelry, and a number of different weapons. There was a collection of swords, several of which looked like replicas of the Master Sword.

"Like my collection, huh?" Morel said, making Zelda realize that she had been staring. "The most expensive one cost eight hundred coins."

"Very nice," Zelda said, ready to leave already. "Say, would you mind if we see that microchip for the new weapon they've been building?"

Morel's eyes widened and she blushed. "Well, sure, honey. Just give me a moment… You can take off the Link outfit. You look a bit uncomfortable like that. I put your pajamas in the dresser over there. Take your pick." She went into the closet and quickly moved into the bathroom.

As Zelda began to remove her costume, she kneeled to study the Master Sword collection. They were all well crafted, so it would be difficult to find out which one was real. She tried to focus on the light magic within the Sword of Evil's Bane. Unfortunately, she strangely sensed light magic all around the room. It was so heavily concentrated in the room that she had no hope of sensing the real sword. She would have to figure out a way to get Morel to tell her. Once she had shed the annoying tights, she opened a drawer and pulled out a blue tank top and shorts. After putting on the clothing, she looked to the bed. She dreaded the thought of having to sleep with an enemy. If the situation were different, she would have made this an assassination mission. The urge to kill either of the clones in their sleep was a strong one.

Then, the bathroom door opened. Morel stood, leaning against the doorframe, in a black camisole with red panties. "This should cheer you up," she said in a sultry and very un-Peach-like voice.

"Oh, Goddesses no," Zelda muttered.

"Not in the mood, huh?" Morel asked, using her normal voice. "Well, you still look miserable. Lie on the bed, belly down."

"No," Zelda said, rubbing her temples. "It's not going to happen."

"It's just a massage," Morel giggled, walking to her.

"That's how it'll start," Zelda muttered. Morel easily picked her up and planted her on the bed. Before Zelda could do anything, Morel jumped and stood on her back. "Hey! What are you…oooh… That feels nice."

Morel was using her feet to massage Zelda's back. "See, I knew you'd like it."

"Mmmm…"

"You're really stiff," Morel noted, feeling and hearing Zelda's joints crack. She sat on Zelda's back and pulled on her arms.

"Are you trying to rip my arms out of my sockets?" Zelda asked, irritated that she had stopped. Morel's legs wrapped around Zelda's neck and Zelda began to panic. With a quick tug, a loud collective of cracks went off and Zelda thought Morel had broken her. Then, she felt much more relaxed. "You're good. Very good." Then, she felt Morel crack her legs. "Great even…"

After Morel gave her feet a quick rubdown, she said, "Now, just turn on your back." Zelda thoughtlessly complied. Morel sat on her and stole a kiss.

"I told you I wasn't in the mood," Zelda said, pushing her away.

"Oh, come on," Morel cooed, lying against her. She puckered her lips again, but Zelda continued to repulse her.

"I mean it. Just go to sleep!" Zelda said.

"But you promised!" Morel whined. "Besides, you asked for it. I thought we agreed that if you wanted the microchip, you'd have to find it? Why not do it this way?" Since Morel was clearly stronger, Zelda used her telekinesis to shove her off the bed. She hit the floor with a thud. Zelda thought she had just blown her cover.

"Sorry…" Zelda said meekly.

Morel stood up angrily and glared at her. She looked like she wanted to massacre Zelda. She growled and took a breath, getting in bed and brusquely forcing Zelda to the side.

"I said I was sorry," Zelda said, trying to sound hurt, though she was actually somewhat amused.

"Goodnight," Morel said coldly, clapping out the lights.

"What about the microchip?"

"Hey, I tried. But you're acting like a total hetero, so screw it!"

"What?"

"Man, Zelda. I thought Peach was the stupid one…"

"Zelda?" she said cautiously. "What do you mean, Morel?"

"Okay, listen up, Zel," Morel said irritably, grabbing her by her collar. "If you want the chip, you're going to have to look for it and take it from me. I'm trying to help you, but you're just not getting it through cute, thick head of yours."

"Why would you help me?" Zelda asked, in no position to attack despite the urge.

"It's really for Peach. She was the only one who cared when Drow begged for me."

"Then, why not just give me the bloody thing!" Zelda yelled.

"Because I don't like you!" Morel growled, shaking her. "If I have to endanger myself and betray my creators, I'm going to have a good time doing it! And it's pretty convenient that you have the same perfect body as my Cupcake."

"I'm not going to have sex with you," Zelda said disgustedly.

"Trust me; I'm not going to tell anyone about this."

"I'm sure," Zelda spat. "But there is no way anything like that is going to happen between me and what is essentially an evil, fake Peach. Especially after all the things you did in Hyrule! You and that _thing_ you call a mate caused so much suffering! You tried to kill Malon and frame us! What makes you think I would want to see even a hint of satisfaction on your faces?" Morel held her by her collar for a few seconds and released her. Zelda was already calculating her chances of winning against Morel if she were to strike.

Morel clapped her hands and the lights came back on. She walked over to the racks and picked up her sky blue parasol.

"If you're doing this to me because I look like Drow…" Zelda said thoughtfully, slowly materializing a knife under the sheets. "Then…what is Drow doing to Peach?"

Morel knew Zelda was thinking about attacking her soon. "Having a little fun," Morel said with a small smirk, clapping out the lights while holding onto the parasol, which glowed in the dark somewhat. She was unnoticeably casting her Silence spell, her version of Peach's Mute spell. "All right, Zel. If you want the chip so much, you're still going to have to take it from me…"

* * *

"Ah, ah, AH!" Peach cried, getting tears in her eyes.

"You can't hold back forever!" Drow giggled as they continued to roll around under the covers. As Peach continued her cries, Drow intensified her movements and pinned Peach beneath herself. "That's right…let it out." Peach tried to hold her breath so that she wouldn't make a sound. Eventually, she could no longer take it.

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha!" she laughed uncontrollably. Drow had been ruthlessly tickling her all over. "Ha ha ha! Oh ho ho ho! Woo hoo hoo hoo!"

"That's it!" Drow grinned with playful satisfaction. Suddenly, Peach grabbed her and put her on the bottom, tickling her in revenge. "No fair! Ha ha ha ha ha!"

They rolled around, tickling one another mercilessly until it was difficult to breathe. Eventually, they were too out of breath to continue and came from beneath the covers panting heavily. Drow embraced Peach once again and held her to her heart.

"That was great fun," Peach panted. Despite being exhausted, Peach felt exhilarated. She had never realized that a tickle war could be so much fun. She did not even mind that she and Drow were practically nude after the scuffle. Peach's robe was underneath her rather than on her and her sash was on the floor. Her undergarments were lost somewhere under the covers, still technically on her person, but not in any useful way. Drow's nightgown had been torn to such a degree that all that remained were the shoulder straps hanging around her neck. Peach hardly noticed at all since shedding had only made it easier to tickle each other. She could finally believe Zelda's claims about her relationship with Malon. Just as she was only playing with Drow, she figuredthey really were just tickling each other and playing. She made a mental note to apologize later.

"Yes, it was quite fun," Drow sighed, stroking her hair. "I certainly did enjoy our time together Peach."

"…You know it's me?" Peach asked, stiffening up. "How did you know?"

"Snookums and I rarely call each other by name," Drow said with a note of nervous humor. "She also isn't as submissive and polite as you. But I suppose me being a mind reader is the primary reason. I've known since you had that telepathic conversation with Zelda. Morel figured it out before that. You underestimated us…And no, I'm not going to kill you. We have a debt to pay."

"You're helping us?"

"Mmhmm," Drow said gently. "For sticking up for Dearest and I…after all we did."

"It's okay," Peach said. "You two seem to really love each other. I couldn't stand seeing you so miserable."

"Yes, we do love each other. I don't really know the how and why scientififically, but we do. All I know is that the geneticists weren't expecting it. It may have something to do with the odd love triangle between you and Zelda."

"But we're not in love at all…"

"True. But Sheik was in love with you in Zelda's body. Morel got about eighty percent of your memory. I got acquired eighty percent of Zelda and Sheik's memories each. It's not too far of a stretch to say that was the cause."

"When you pretended to be Sheik…"

"Everything I said was from his heart and mind," Drow smiled. "He truly does love you."

"You don't love me…do you?" Peach asked uncomfortably.

"No, but you're still sexually attractive," she said matter-of-factly. "What about you?"

"Not at all," Peach said in a similar tone.

"Just as I thought."

"Huh?"

"Why else do you think I haven't taken things any further?" Drow asked as if it were obvious.

"Because…you've known that I'm not Morel?"

"That wouldn't stop Snookums nor myself," Drow scoffed. "I'm sure Dearest is attempting to take things much farther with Zelda. And you may not be my little Honeypot, but you're still just as tempting…"

"Okay, I get it," Peach interrupted, getting a more comfortable position. "But…just do me another favor and don't try anything…inappropriate. That tickle war was fun, though. I'll have to try it again sometime." She yawned and laid her head against Drow. "Maybe we can all be friends from now on…"

"…That's fine," Drow smiled, holding her. "Sweet dreams."

Sometime later, Peach and Drow were awakened by a knock coming from the wall across from the bed. A section of it slid open and Zelda peaked inside, looking slightly disheveled, as if she had just gotten out of a long, but mostly harmless scuffle. She was dressed in her original dress, having taken one from Morel's closet, but her hair was out of order. Dim lights came on and she was surprised to see Peach and Drow in each other's embraces, both not so much wearing little clothing as the little clothing was hanging onto them. She knew not to expect a fight now, but she did not expect the temporary truce to go this far.

"Hm? Zelda?" Peach said sleepily.

"I don't want to know," Zelda sighed, averting her eyes. "Peach, it's time to go. I have the chip and the Master Sword."

"Here," Drow said, yawning. A greenish-yellow glow filled the room as she materialized a small crystal.

"A tiny Star Piece?" Peach asked.

"Not just any Star Piece," Drow said, sitting up with her. "This is the key to finding the Wanderer. Find the Star Statue in your castle ruins and you'll start the right path."

"Thank you," Peach nodded. Drow made a proper Peach dress float out of her closet and to Peach.

"I can't say we won't come after you sooner or later," Drow warned sleepily. "But good luck." Peach quickly put on the new dress, recovered her gloves, and joined Zelda at the door.

Once they left, Morel entered. What little clothing she wore was torn and wrinkled, but she seemed just as unharmed as Zelda. She also seemed to be in slightly higher spirits than Zelda had been. Drow smiled and asked, "How was it?"

"…A bit rough," Morel said, hopping into bed and snuggling against her. "She actually pushed me out of bed…among other things… But let's not worry about it. I didn't quite get what I wanted, but it was good enough."

"I'll have to teach her a lesson," Drow thought malevolently.

"How about you?" Morel asked. Drow seemed distracted for a moment. She was looking to the side, seemingly in thought. "Cupcake?"

"Huh? Sorry, what was it you asked?"

"How was Peach for you?"

"I'm afraid I'm not as daring as you, my little snugglebum. We tickled one another without mercy, but nothing more. Peach certainly is a much more pleasant person than Zelda though. You should have heard the horrible things that witch was thinking about you. If it weren't for that blasted Triforce, I swear, I would have…"

"Ladies," a somewhat jovial voice came over their intercom. "I have an assignment that requires the talents of Royal Pain…"

* * *

Zelda had not led Peach far through the corridors, easily fooling guards through their mere appearance, before a Magikoopa confronted them.

"Hello, ladies," he nodded. "Ready for your training sims?"

"Excuse me?" Peach said.

"You didn't tell her yet, did you Drow?" the Magikoopa chuckled slightly. "Well, Morel, Drow requested a review session for the both of you just a few minutes ago through telepathy. Now, if you'll follow me." Zelda frowned, realizing what the clones had done in so little time. They would have no choice but to play along.


	7. The Getaway

**The Getaway**

Peach and Zelda stood atop the virtual pads, which looked very much like black and white bull's-eyes. The Magikoopa and several other scientists stood by at control panels. With a few button presses, a globe of light overtook Peach and Zelda.

When the light subsided, they found themselves inside an empty coliseum. It was similar to the coliseum in which they had fought Wendy O. Koopa, but the background looked like a normal sunny day. Zelda looked to Peach curiously, but she just responded with a shrug. She seemed to be more concerned with not having a crown on her head.

"All right, ladies," the Magikoopa's voice echoed. "Let's get this over with. Your first opponents will be Peach at level thirty and Zelda at level twenty-four. You've already gotten an S on this session, so take it easy."

"What's an S?" Zelda whispered.

"I think it's the highest grade you can get," Peach whispered back. "It's a letter." Suddenly, their opponents appeared. They looked exactly the same, except the enemy Peach had her crown.

"Here we go again," Zelda groaned. As she readied her Shining Ray, her counterpart did the same. Both Peaches also pulled a turnip out of the ground simultaneously. Everyone hesitated, since everyone had done the same moves. Then, they all switched targets. Shining Rays blasted into turnips and there was another standstill.

"They're thinking like us…" Zelda said.

"Let's try something different," Peach said, taking out her Psych Bomb. Her counterpart looked shocked as she lobbed the bomb at her. The enemy Zelda ran forward as her partner was caught in the explosion. She transformed into Sheik and threw needles. Zelda blocked them with her shield and continued to block as Sheik slashed away at her shield.

Peach ran into the cloud to confront the enemy, knowing that she would be able to survive even a direct hit. She was met with a hard slap that knocked her down. She moved out of the way as the enemy did a ground pound where she had been. Peach attempted to slap her back, but their hands struck one another.

"Ow!" they both yelped, shaking the pain out of their hands. When they turned back to each other, they both attempted another slap, with the same results. They both kicked with similar results. Peach reached for her crown to add extra power to her strike, but her counterpart did the same. Peach quickly realized that she had no crown and ducked the wide swipe of her enemy. Then, she turned around and sent her hind-parts flying at the enemy. There was a miniature explosion and the fake Peach flew into the air a short distance, covered in a flames. Peach winced at the sight and tossed another Pscyh Bomb into the air at her. The enemy was blown even further into the air and finally hit the ground with a bone-shattering crunch, quickly turning into a gold coin.

Sheik had backed off since Zelda was just blocking everything. They were at a standstill. Zelda knew that her spells would take too long to use before he would be able to strike. She mentally spoke to Peach, "_Distract him."_

Peach seemed to be at a loss for what to do. She thought a moment. "I love you, Sheik!" Peach yelled. He instantly turned toward her and looked dumbstruck. It was easy for Zelda to walk up to him from behind and snap his neck. He burst into purple flames and left behind a Rupee.

"Good," the Magickoopa spoke. "You get a C for this victory."

"C?" Zelda whispered to Peach.

"Average," Peach whispered back as the bodies disappeared.

"Let's try a more difficult round," a different voice spoke. He seemed to be snickering to himself.

"Where did the Magikoopa go?" Peach asked.

"Oh, he's taking a little…break," he said, holding back a giggle. "Your next opponents will be your friends Geno and Mallow…"

"Mallow?" Zelda asked. "Like…"

"Yes, marshmallow," Peach said, rolling her eyes. "He's the Prince of Nimbus Land. He fought alongside Mario, Geno, Bowser, and I…"

"You fought alongside Bowser?" Zelda said disbelievingly.

"Now's not the time…" Peach said, as their opponents appeared. Mallow looked the same as usual. He was a short, rounded ball of fluff with a magenta curl on his head. All he wore were blue and white striped pants with a buckle and magenta shoes. He did not look threatening at all. Geno retained his new, plastic form as well as his penetrating gaze.

"Well, this shouldn't be too hard," Zelda sighed. Both Geno and Mallow began to power up. In seconds thunderbolts and rays of light were raining from the sky all across the field. Zelda had cast Nayru's Love just before they struck her and Peach's spot. The spells had not even subsided before Geno and Mallow were using more magic attacks. Mallow used Star Rain to summon a giant star half the size of the arena to repeatedly bounce on the shield. Meanwhile, Geno powered up his beam.

"They aren't supposed to be this strong!" Peach cried as Zelda strained to hold the shield despite the abuse it was taking.

"Oh, right!" the voice spoke. "I should probably mention that both of these fellows are over level fifty. It's a shame you're having so much trouble here. Drow and Morel managed to get an A on this."

"What?" Zelda called out.

"It means very good!" Peach yelled.

"Not even they could pull off something like that so easily," Zelda fumed as the shield cracked from the barrage. She noticed that Geno was still charging and dreaded what it would be like once it fired. "Peach, do you have any ideas?"

"Not really," she said worriedly, watching as lightning and rays of light continued to shower around them. A ball of white energy gathered at the point of Geno's arm cannon. Once it fired, the shield shattered and the two women were engulfed in the burning light.

When the light subsided, Peach opened her eyes and sat up. Smoke was rising from her and she felt weakened. She looked around for Zelda, but found no trace of her. "Zelda?"

The voice spoke to her, "I'm afraid Zelda didn't survive that attack. Starlight is especially lethal to darklings like herself."

"She's dead!" Peach exclaimed. Then, she looked back to Geno and Mallow. They instantly faded away. "What's going on? Who are you?"

"Let's finish this little session with an old friend of yours…" A crackling ball of fire and electricity appeared before her. When it dissipated, Bolt stood there.

"Him!" Peach shrieked, jumping back.

"Want to know the best news?" the voice asked in a low voice. Then he growled, "Those clones barely managed to earn a _D_ against him as a team." Bolt raised a glowing hand and unleashed a Lightning Orb at her.

"Aaah!" she screamed as the full force of the attack electrocuted her. She fell to her knees. She was bowled over by a wave of fire. A lightning bolt scorched the ground as it moved toward her, but she rolled out of the way in time. She could not avoid the flash of electricity from his Static E. She convulsed from the shock and was defenseless as a boulder covered in flames landed on her. The voice laughed maniacally.

"Oh, this is too good!" he laughed. "But you're a resilient one, aren't you?" Bolt walked up to the boulder and smashed it to rubble with a single punch. He found Peach pounded into the grounded, looking barely conscious. He grabbed her by her hair and held her up.

"Ugh…" she moaned.

"I'm estimating no more than ten hit points left," the voice cackled. "Let's make it a grand finish, shall we? I believe you're familiar with Bolt's patented Thunder Spear… Ta ta for now." Bolt tossed Peach high into the air. She did not have the energy to float and she knew his attack would be too devastating to bother healing. She noticed the glow of electrical energy forming far below. After reaching the peak of his toss, she began to fall to her inevitable doom.

* * *

Geno blasted through the sealed door to the control room. Disgust filled him as he surveyed the many lifeless bodies, some of which were flattened. In particular, there was a Magikoopa that had clearly been ripped in half and was slowly disappearing into dust. His attention was suddenly drawn to Peach's shrill screaming. She was floating over the virtual pad in the bubble of light, clutching her stomach. She looked as if she was being impaled and electrocuted all at once. Zelda was nowhere to be found. Geno quickly ran to the main control panel and pressed the large red "OFF" button. The bubble of light disappeared and Peach plopped onto the pad still screaming and squirming.

"Peach, wake up!" he yelled, quickly running to her.

"Huh?" she said, opening her eyes. "Geno?"

"You're fine. Our informant tipped me off," Geno said, helping her stand up. "Morel and Drow took Zelda."

"They betrayed us…" Peach said, still shaken up.

"Come on," he beckoned, stepping out the door. "They went to the first basement."

"What about the guards?" she asked, following him close behind.

"Never mind them," he said, charging his beam as he broke into a run. As soon as a line of normal and mutant Koopatrols appeared, he unleashed his beam on them. It was enough for Geno and Peach to rush through unopposed.

"The elevator is this way," Peach pointed, turning. Geno grabbed the back of her collar and pulled her the other way.

"The stairwell is unguarded," he explained. "No one ever takes the stairs." They started to run up the stairs. A few minutes later, they were panting and trudging up the stairs.

"This…is why…no one…takes…the stairs," Peach panted. Geno took a small flask out of his cap and drank from it before handing it to her.

"It's an Energizer," he said. "We're only two floors away." She drank it and no longer felt tired. A buzz sounded from Geno. He reached under his hat and pulled out a small radio.

"This is Daisy. The clones have Zelda in, like, a Wiggler bus and they're currently en route to Toad's Turnpike and I am SO totally in pursuit. Daisy, over and out."

"There goes our pick-up," Geno sighed as they continued to run up the stairs. Once they reached the basement, they found that it was actually a garage. Nearly all the vehicles had been disabled somehow. Most of them simply had their wheels removed.

"How are we going to catch up?" Peach asked.

"We'll have to find something that hasn't been taken apart," Geno said. Even the motorcycles had been de-wheeled.

"BUSTER!" a small voice echoed.

"Oh no…" Peach whined. She saw a car rise up slightly. Peach and Geno dived away from each other as the car was tossed where they had stood. More cars began to rise slightly.

"Split up!" Geno called to Peach. "Find something you can drive and get out. I'll handle these guys."

"I won't leave you behind again!" Peach argued. She had to run out of the way again as another car was sent toward her. She saw more Buster Beetles approaching, but she had nowhere to run. She saw stars flying at the Buster Beetles approaching Geno, but she was out of his sight and range. One Buster Beetle picked up a Bob-omb Car and chucked it at her. She jumped under the throw, letting it explode into the wall to leave a hole. With nowhere else to run, she ran through the hole in the wall and found herself in an R&D room.

It seemed to be that of the 8-Bits Club, since there were stunned Shy Guys and Snifits everywhere. There were weapons, small mechs, masks of various sorts, and even a few different types of vehicles. Since this was no time to stand around, she ran to the nearest vehicle she thought she would be able to drive.

* * *

"Where are you taking me?" Zelda demanded. She was tied in enchanted chains, lying on the floor. The vehicle was broken up into about a dozen segments. She, Morel, and Drow were all in the part of the bus that made up the head and second segment. No one was driving because the bus was computerized.

"Sweetie," Morel asked in a bored voice. "Where _are_ we going anyway?"

"Honestly, I haven't the slightest," Drow said somewhat sleepily. "Otherwise, I would have teleported there by now. This was old Smiley's idea. Just have a little patience." A beeping noise began to sound.

Morel moved to the driver's seat and looked on the radar. "Looks like we've got company." She tapped the screen and it switched to an image of the black Blue Falcon quickly closing in from behind. "Since when did Daisy have an F-Zero machine?"

"It matters not, my dear," Drow said, pressing a few buttons.

Daisy gripped tightly on the steering wheel, engrossed by the pure speed of her craft. She knew the bus would have no chance of escaping her, especially not on Toad's Turnpike. Her vehicle would not have to deal with the slick roads. She could even heat the windshield so that it melted away the accumulating, but gentle snowflakes. It would not be long before they reached the city limits, but tall buildings still surrounded them. Suddenly, the segments of the bus began to break off. They all hopped and commenced hovering, now that their wheels were acting more like thrusters. The entire group began to outrun Daisy momentarily, apparently using boosts to put some comfortable distance between them. The first two segments, though hovering and far ahead, opened up into a platform. Drow and Morel stood as if the speed of the platform did not bother them at all. Daisy could barely see Zelda lying on the ground, but she looked terrified as she usually did in high-speed situations.

"So that's how you want it?" Daisy smirked. "And they said I was crazy for having a nuclear powered engine." She mashed the boost button and surged ahead, swerving around the other, slower civilian cars. The segments actually seemed to slow down for her. She was somewhat worried when two were on either side of her craft. The circular yellow pattern on the sides of the segments began to glow. She decided to simply side ram them out of the way, but they exploded on contact.

"Shoot!" she exclaimed as her craft was covered in flames for a few seconds. The road rose up as they reached an overpass. Unfortunately, it was a narrow area. The hovering globes all glowed and, one-by-one, they began to try to ram into her. She swerved and used the airbrakes to dodge the first few. Then, she used another boost to surge around them.

"Wow, she's good," Morel marveled. "I wish we had one of those instead of this…dorky caterpillar thing."

"Please, slow down!" Zelda squeaked.

"We don't have any control over the speed," Drow said, watching the Blue Falcon closely. "Muffin-head?"

"Hmm?"

"I think we'll have to take a few measures against her. Would you mind giving our friend a little blitzkrieg?"

"I thought we were supposed to capture Zelda alive?" Morel asked.

"She's talking about Daisy, you idiot!" Zelda yelled.

Drow shined a ray of light onto Zelda, filling her with pain. She spoke with ominous calm, "It would be in your best interest to refrain from verbally attacking my beloved." She stopped her spell and Zelda was left to catch her breath.

"Aw, you're so sweet!" Morel cooed, hugging her and giving her a peck.

"You're sweeter," Drow smiled, rubbing her cheek and kissing her back.

"No, you're sweeter, sugar," Morel said, returning the kiss.

"Ah, but you are the one that tastes peachy," Drow said, kissing her neck.

"But Honey, you're sweeter than any peach," Morel said, putting her mouth to hers. Zelda cringed and shuddered upon seeing them like that. She wished Drow had kept up her light spell. It would have been something to distract her from this sickening public display of affection. She instead looked to the black F-Zero machine quickly approaching and within a few feet of the platform.

"Mmm," Drow suddenly pulled away from her. "We'll have to continue this later I'm afraid. And I intend to prove you wrong…but we have a pursuer right now."

"Spritz, Psych, or Big?" Morel grinned.

"Spritz," Drow grinned back.

Daisy had gotten quite close, but the glowing segments were right behind her. Morel formed tiny bombs in her hands. They were only slightly smaller than the already tiny Psych Bombs in that more than one could fit in each hand. Morel threw them all along the road. They created miniature, but crackling, persistent explosions along the road. Daisy swerved away from as many as she could, but soon she began taking damage. There was really no way of avoiding them because the road was so small. Unfortunately, she made the mistake of braking slightly. The segments literally jumped onto the Blue Falcon and it was engulfed in an explosion that shattered that part of the overpass.

"Daisy!" Zelda yelled, seeing nothing but fiery asphalt and crumbling concrete. It was soon far away in the distance. "How could y…" Her voice suddenly disappeared.

"Now, where were we?" Drow said, wrapping her arms around Morel's waist.

"I think it was your turn," Morel smiled. Drow suddenly dipped her and kissed her deeply. They closed their eyes in euphoria. Morel opened one eye and saw something approaching from nearby. She tapped Drow, who looked up and arched an eyebrow. Even Zelda was staring curiously.

It was Peach, having just driven off the top of a building and now flying through the air toward the overpass. She was riding a futuristic-looking motorcycle. It was sleek, silver, and had thick wheels. Peach did not sit up on it. It was the type of vehicle that the rider virtually lied belly-down on, while holding onto handlebars that were behind the mirrored windshield. The rear of the vehicle gave off a blue light that seemed to streak in its wake.

Morel suddenly blurted, "Since when could she ride a cybercycle!"

"Actually, it looks more like a lightcylce," Drow said, as it landed on the road behind them and quickly made its approach. "Notice the band of light following it."

"Lightcycles aren't open like that," Morel corrected her. "There's no shell on that one."

"Hmm, you're right dear," Drow agreed. "Lightcycles don't let you see the driver like that…"

"Bomb it?"

"Big Bomb it." Morel formed a bomb larger than herself, and booted it off the platform. It exploded soon after skidding along the road and created a fiery mushroom cloud that annihilated the road. Unfortunately for them, Peach jumped through the flames, her bike encapsulated in an oval green shield.

"Bollocks…" Drow cursed. Then, they passed into a yellow tunnel. "Well then, this is just bad for everyone, isn't it?" Peach's shield went down, but she sped up and did a brief wheelie. Then she began to ride along the walls and finally the ceiling of the rounded tunnel.

"Zelda, are you okay?" she called out. Zelda bobbed up to let her know that she heard her. "Morel, Drow, stop now!"

"Blasted tunnel…" Drow muttered.

"Blast the tunnel?" Morel asked, readying more bombs.

"No! No. Nothing will get through that shield as long as it has power." Drow held out her hand and tried to mentally off-balance the cybercycle.

Peach smirked as an idea came to her. "I love you, Drow!" Peach called out, completely throwing off the clone's concentration. She sped forward to the point that she was directly over the platform and managed to Mute Drow.

"Hey, no fair!" Morel yelled. They finally exited the tunnel and got onto Toad's Turnpike. Peach's bike flew off the ceiling and corkscrewed through the air before landing its wheels on the road beside the platform. The road was unusually empty. The radar on the platform began to beep again.

"There's the transport!" Morel said, pointing on the radar. "It's on the next underpass." The screen blipped and showed a helicopter shaped like Bowser's head with a ramp laid out behind it. It looked as if would be ready to launch at a second's notice.

Drow tapped Morel's shoulder worriedly and pointed to Peach.

"What? Oh, crap…" Peach was holding a spiked, winged, blue shell and skidded to a stop. As soon as she tossed it, it flew straight for them. It exploded on contact, creating a large ball of blue fire and sending them flying into the air. Morel, the only one with a voice, was screaming her head off.

Peach rode the short distance to their location and hopped off her bike. She ran to the wrecked platform and quickly healed Zelda, leaving Morel and Drow dazed. Zelda was released from her bonds.

"Just wait until I get my hands on them!" Zelda growled. She ran over to Drow and was ready to stab her with her magically enhanced hands. Morel caught it and punched her in the jaw.

"Don't you dare!" Morel yelled. Peach tackled her to the ground and slapped her. Drow came to her senses in time to catch Zelda's second attempt. She swung her aside and moved to help Morel. Zelda grabbed her from behind and tried to snap her neck. Drow elbowed her in the gut and backhanded her.

"Aaaah!" Zelda screamed, grabbing her opponent's hair furiously and clawing at her. Drow struggled to fend her off and kicked her, but it only increased Zelda's rage. Meanwhile, Peach and Morel were trading blows. Peach grabbed for Morel's crown but was bitten. She headbutted Morel in response. Morel punched her angrily, while Peach viciously slapped her. There was a loud bang in the direction of the helicopter as well as a brief fiery glow, but they were all too concerned with defeating one another.

In minutes, Daisy pulled up in her heavily damaged craft. She hopped out of her craft, still in her Varia Suit without the helmet, and surveyed the brutal catfight. A moment later, Sarasaland transports landed around them and soldiers poured out. At Daisy's signal, they all aimed their guns at the four. She charged her Beam Cannon and fired it into the air to get the women's attention.

"Freeze or you will be fired on!" one soldier ordered on a megaphone. The four all stopped mid-strike. One of the Peaches had a black eye and looked ready to hit the other. The other had red imprints on her face and looked ready to bite the other one. Both seemed to be reaching for the crown on the ground. One Zelda had pinned the other one and had a swollen face. The other Zelda looked as if her nose was broken, but was strangling the other one. All of them had torn clothing and messy hair.

"Your orders, Princess?" a soldier asked Daisy.

"…Well, I can't tell them apart like this… Hey Peach!"

"Yes?" both of them answered, before glaring at one another.

"Darn it!" Daisy cursed. "Oh, whatever! Arrest them all!"


	8. Interrogation

**Interrogation **

As Daisy piloted her transport ship back to Sarasaland, she was arguing with her sister over a communicator.

"All I'm saying," Syrup argued, "is that you shouldn't take risks. Just put them in Easter Island and…"

"I am _so_ not sending my friends to a prison for hardened criminals," Daisy said resolutely. "I don't care if the bad guys are in there with them."

"Then what exactly are you planning to do with them?"

"We're going to Easton…but not Easter Island," Daisy said. "We're going to Pukau. We'll detain them until the clones are revealed."

"You do know that Pukau is understaffed, undersupplied, and undersized, right?"

"Yeah, but like it's so totally small and out of the way, no one will ever look there or be able to escape very well. Not even Geno would find his way there."

"What happened to the guy anyway?" Syrup asked.

"We picked him up in Mushroom Village," Daisy said. "Right now, he should be with Luigi and the Master. Anyway, what's the plan now?"

Syrup sighed, mostly out of aggravation. "Well…since you're busy with the clones, I guess we'll just do the usual battles…" She stopped. There was someone else talking on her side. "Right…"

"What is it?"

"Nothing you need to worry about where you're going," Syrup said. "We just got word from our informant. Assassins have been sent on a seek-and-destroy mission against Peach… Old Koopa seems to really have it out for her."

"They'll never find us in the middle of nowhere," Daisy smirked.

* * *

All four prisoners were placed in a very plain, stone cell. There were benches on opposing sides. Instead of bars, there was a wall of plexiglass. All four women had various power-limiters on themselves, preventing them from using any magic at all. The Peaches had power-limiters in the form of black leather bracelets on each arm and ankle. The Zeldas, who were arguably more dangerous, had power-limiters in those areas as well as chokers around their necks, belts around their waists, tiny jewels on their foreheads, and brooches attached to the center of their chests. All of them were wearing the same uniforms as convicts. The Peaches wore pink cotton blouses and capris. The Zeldas wore the dull blue versions of the same clothing. A letter or number on their clothing identified each. 

They all said nothing to one another. In truth, they were not sure which person to talk to. They had gotten just as mixed up in the scuffle, though Morel and Drow had more keen suspicions. Soon, Daisy walked into the room, standing on the other side of the plexiglass. She took a look at her prisoners and admitted to herself that the facility was a bit sub par. There were no guards to watch them, no surveillance cameras, not even a sufficient variety of clothing to meaningfully differentiate between the clones and the originals.

She spoke over an intercom, "Okay, here's the deal. We're going to keep you here until we figure out who's who. And guess what? If you confess, we promise not to kill you." She said the last sentence with a smile, but realized it had scared them more than anything. "Uh…that's not to say we were _going_ to kill you, but…uh…forget it. Zelda, you're up first for interrogation."

Both Zeldas stood up as a pipe rose out of the floor. They glared at one another until Daisy pointed out one of them to go first. That Zelda climbed into the pipe and disappeared. The other Zelda soon followed. Once the pipe sank back into the ground, Daisy exited the room, leaving the Peaches to look at one another.

"Sorry you got caught up in that," Morel spoke.

"Hmph!" Peach grunted, turning her nose up to her. She sat on one bench and turned away.

"We were just trying to get back at Zelda after she pushed me out of the bed, Peach," her clone said, sitting beside her. "You see, Pumpkin is really an easygoing person, but she gets really protective of me…even at the expense of herself and others. You know what that's like, don't you?"

"I don't know anyone like that," Peach said, puffing up her bottom lip in a pouting fashion.

"What about Bowser?" Morel asked. Peach glared at her and turned away again. "Okay, bad example now, but he at least _used_ to adore you. Remember how he and Mario teamed up to save you from getting married to that creep Booster? And speaking of Mario, he's a perfect example."

"Don't say bad things about Mario like that," Peach said, folding her arms. "He doesn't do bad things, not even for me."

"Tell that to the hundreds of Goombas he's stomped flat," Morel said dryly. "It wouldn't be too far of a stretch to call him a serial-killer."

"Don't talk to me anymore!" Peach yelled.

"…Please forgive me, Peach. I just want to be your friend. Cupcake, too. We like you a whole lot. You're a good person. Better than either of us. And we're both sorry for trying to kill you and hurting you."

"Just leave me alone," Peach said. After a few silent moments, the pipe reappeared and the Zeldas jumped out.

"Peach," Daisy's voice said over the intercom. Peach and Morel entered next, while Zelda and Drow sat on opposite benches. Zelda glared at her clone hatefully. Drow simply gave her a dismissive look.

* * *

Daisy sat at a table across from Toadette. They were looking through various test results. 

"Like, anything noteworthy?" Daisy said somewhat hopelessly. "Everything I'm seeing is syncing up pretty good."

"I don't really think these results are very trustworthy," Toadette said, gathering a few of the papers.

"Let's start with SAT scores," Daisy said.

"But you only gave them five minutes…"

"Just tell me what their scores are so far," Daisy said tiredly.

"Peach A got 50. Peach #1 got 48."

"Fluke."

"Zelda B got 12. Zelda #2 got…1."

"That's noteworthy," Daisy said, perking up and writing it down. "I guess…"

"Especially considering Zelda can't read anything in our language…"

"How about personal information?"

"The Peaches matched perfectly. A little over five feet, six inches."

"And the Zeldas?"

"Both refused to answer on the basis that they don't know how to measure in feet and inches. When they gave us their heights in the _metric_ system…"

"Tsk, like anyone uses that…"

"Zelda #2 gave a smaller number than was accurate," Toadette finished. "Zelda B was dead-on."

"Okay," Daisy said, writing it down. "And how about those pregnancy tests?"

Toadette was about to answer, but then realized the ridiculousness of it. "…Don't tell me you're still adding content to your website…"

"The pregnancy tests, Toadette," Daisy said in a dry, somewhat threatening voice.

Toadette sighed. "All right… Three of them _might_ be pregnant. Of those three, one tested positive."

"Which one?" Daisy asked, not expecting to hear that.

"Uh…We don't know."

"What? Why not?"

"…We ran out of labels," Toadette said sheepishly.

"Oh my GAWD! This place sucks!" Daisy screamed. She calmed herself and took a breath. "Well, let's just test them again and…"

"We're out of pregnancy tests," Toadette said.

"What do mean we're out? Just have the boys in the lab analyze the samples and…"

"Um…We don't have any of those types of scientists here."

"Toadette," Daisy said, sinking into her chair. "Are you saying we used those cheap over-the-counter pregnancy tests?"

"…Y-yes, ma'am," Toadette said nervously. Daisy laid her face down onto the table. "The box said, 'seventy percent accuracy guaranteed.'"

"Toadette, make a note," Daisy said, prompting her to take out a notepad. "Easton military budget is to be placed under federal review and investigation.

"Duly noted."

"Okay, any other discrepancies?"

"One more. It was the…period one," she said uncomfortably.

"Did either of the Peaches miss theirs?" Daisy asked somewhat too eagerly.

"Actually, they said they never had one," Toad said, a little thrown by her behavior. "Toads, remember?"

"Huh?"

"We don't…do that. We have…spores."

"I keep forgetting that she's a Toad…"

"The Zeldas were really different though…"

"Zelda missed hers?"

"Zelda B reported nineteen days ago. Zelda #2 reported…six months ago." Daisy looked as if she wanted to say something, but did not know what. Instead, she decided to move on.

"How did they respond to that question about 'Daisy's fashion'? That oughta tell us something."

"Peach A said she didn't like your choice of colors…"

"Aha!"

"But Peach #1 said the same thing."

"Shoot!"

"Same for the Zeldas, too."

"Am I like the only one with fashion sense around here?" Daisy called out. "What's the obsession with pink these days?" Then, she noticed Toadette frowning a bit. "Well, what _is_ the obsession with pink, Toadette?"

* * *

Zelda and Morel sat across from one another, now that Peach and Drow were being questioned. The cell was quiet, but there was a great deal of tension in the air. It was not the murderous tension between Zelda and Drow. Nor was it the same guilt-ridden tension between both clones and Peach. They were nervously glancing at one another, while avoiding direct eye contact. 

"My bad about the whole virtual training thing, Zel," Morel said half-heartedly. "I tried to downplay what happened, but it was just enough to set her off…unfortunately. I didn't mean for all that to happen to you. I hope you can forgive me for that at least."

"It's the very least I can do," Zelda said, glancing at her. "But that's all you can expect to be forgiven for."

"You're still mad about that whole Hyrule thing."

"Very much so."

"Just so you know, the whole framing you thing was Ganondorf's idea. That Malon episode was Honey's idea."

"Was it really necessary to make out in front of her?" Zelda asked, looking at her directly. "Wasn't physical torture enough?"

Morel blushed and looked away with a nervous laugh. "That just…uh…happened. I don't know why it would bother her that much, considering she's done nearlythe same thing with you."

Zelda narrowed her eyes.

"I didn't say _anything_ about sex," Morel said defensively. "Half the reason everyone thinks that about you is because you're so conspicuous about it. If you want people to believe you, don't be so defensive about it."

"I don't think _you're_ the sort person to be giving me that sort of advice," Zelda said. "You aren't fooling anyone."

"Who said I was trying to?" Morel smirked.

The pipe rose out of the floor and their counterparts came out.

"Peach #1 and Zelda #2," Daisy's voice said over the intercom. "You're up next." Drow immediately drew away Morel's attention. They embraced briefly and Drow helped Morel atop the pipe. Drow smirked tauntingly at Zelda as she passed her. As they sunk into the pipe, Drow took a seat next to Peach.

"I must apologize for getting you involved in that little training session," Drow said. "I simply acted on impulse. I only meant for Zelda to be harmed."

"Just for pushing Morel?" Peach asked disapprovingly.

"Yes, just for causing the most insignificant harm to my little angel," Drow nodded with a small smile. "I suppose that doesn't help things much between us, but Morel tells me that you are especially upset with us. Tell me…what exactly happened during that training session? It should have been nothing more than a simple fight against yourselves."

"It started simply enough," Peach said nervously. "But then, the Magikoopa in charge stopped talking and a new voice came on. He made us fight Mallow and Geno, both at level fifty…or more. I thought Zelda died when Geno used his beam. Then, that new person made me fight Bolt…" Peach turned and saw Drow looking quite perplexed by her story.

"Someone new intervened, hmm?" Drow said thoughtfully. "Could you describe him?"

"I never saw him. I just remember his voice. It was laughing at us…at me. It laughed when I thought Zelda died. It laughed when Bolt was beating me. It was just taunting me over and over again."

"Well, that could be any number of Bowser or Ganon's underlings," Drow sighed.

"Why did you betray us?" Peach asked, looking her in the eye. "And so soon after I thought we had become friends…"

"Somehow, someone found out that you and Zelda were there. We had orders to kidnap Zelda and, if necessary, kill you."

"And you just went along with it!" Peach nearly yelled.

"The plan didn't seem fully developed though," Drow said, leaning away from her. "Why kidnap someone who is already on your home turf? And why have a secret drop point? Oh, well. I guess we'll never know." She turned back to Peach with a joking smile. Peach slapped her hard across the cheek, replacing her smile with a look of shock.

"You were supposed to be my friend!" Peach yelled angrily. "We laughed together and played together and everything! I let you hold me! But it didn't mean anything to you, did it? You just wanted to earn my trust…and for what? You could have just come after us and captured us because heaven knows you and your girlfriend have been holding back in every fight." She sighed as tears came out of her eyes. Drow attempted to gently lay a hand on her shoulder, but Peach shoved it away. "Why did you do it? Just to set up some elaborate plan to hurt me and steal Zelda? Was it just to spite us? Or…was it just to make me look like a fool…making me think it was just a tickle war when it was really just you trying to get me in the nude and in bed with you… Is that what is? I'm just a substitute for my own clone?"

Drow had a look of guilt on her face. "To…some extent…" Peach turned away and cried openly. "But Peach…"

"Shut up!" she cried. "I hate you! Go away and don't talk to me ever again!" Her tears were quickly forming a puddle on the floor.

"Yes…I am physically attracted to you," Drow said over her sobbing. "And yes, we would eventually come along to capture Zelda and probably kill you. However, Snookums and I both like you as a friend. We respect your abilities as a princess…and even as a warrior. What happened in that training session went far beyond what I had in mind, but there is little I can do to amend it. The truth of the matter is that the majority of the 8-Bits Club wants to see you in agony, if not dead, for whatever happened in Subway."

"Sub Con," Peach corrected while still sobbing.

"Sub Con. You know perhaps better than I do that their kind is prone to prankish, impish, and oftentimes devilish behavior. I can only assume it was one of them."

"Why would they kill everyone else in the room though?" Peach sniffled, wishing she had her gloves.

"I suppose…Wait," Drow paused in thought. "Did you say everyone else in the room was dead?"

"Mmhmm," Peach nodded, trying to calm herself. "The Magikoopa looked like he was broken in half. All the Goombas _and_ the Koopas were flattened."

Drow groaned, "Not now… Peach, I think the 8-Bits Club is starting a coup."

"You do?" Peach asked.

"Ganondorf and I have been noticing suspicious activity, but we thought it was Bowser's doing… I'll tell you what. The first chance I get, I'll turn myself in to Daisy."

"Why?"

"You may not be _my_ Snookums, but you look enough like her," Drow said, caressing her cheek and wiping away her tears. "It upsets me to see you cry, because it reminds me of those times when I saw her cry. Knowing that I caused you to suffer, I must make amends somehow. I'm sorry for hurting your feelings like that. As for the tickle war…there was some dalliance on my part, but I meant no harm to you."

"What will Morel say?" Peach asked. "I don't think she'd like you to turn yourself in because of me."

"…I hadn't thought that far," Drow said, frowning, leaning her head against Peach's shoulder. Just then, the pipe rose out of the floor. Morel and Zelda came out and hopped out together. Both of them were staring at Drow and Peach.

"Something wrong?" Peach asked. Zelda and Morel raised their eyebrows and glanced at one another.

"No, nothing," Zelda said, taking a seat on the opposite bench.

Morel sat beside her and crossed her legs. "You had your chance last night, Drow," she spoke with a taunting grin.

"Oh, dear…" Drow thought, her face filling with dread after hearing her actual name from Morel. She sat upright and took her hand away from Peach's face. "I am in so much trouble…"

"Oh…uh…you two seem to be getting along nicely," Peach said quickly.

"Meh," Morel shrugged, glancing at Zelda.

"Hmph," Zelda said, glaring at Drow. "At least Morel isn't the sick fiend who came up with all of those horrible acts in Hyrule."

"Zelda, that's not fair," Peach said. "Drow and I just had a heart-to-heart. She's awfully considerate once you give her a chance."

"Oh, you two had a heart-to-heart," Morel giggled. "So, Peach…mind telling me why Drow has a large red hand print on her face?"

"Um, love-muffin?" Drow said meekly.

"I was talking to Peach, Drow, you silly goose," Morel giggled, still with an air of friendliness. Drow grimaced, but tried to disguise it as a smile. She felt her heart beat faster, but tried to remain calm.

"Um…well…" Peach said uneasily. "I sort of…slapped her." She saw Morel make the slightest twitch.

"Oh?" Morel said.

"Was she trying to kill you or just harassing you?" Zelda asked, still with her eyes on Drow.

"Actually, she just upset me a little…"

"Did she hurt you?" Morel asked. Her friendly attitude was beginning to seem inappropriate. "…And make you cry? You look like you were crying a little while ago."

"Dearest?" Drow said.

"Don't interrupt, Drow."

"Yes, she did," Peach said. She could feel the temperature in the room rising.

"No, I didn't," Drow said quickly.

"Liar," Zelda said.

"Now, Drow," Morel said, standing up and slowly walking to her. She still had a smile on. "You know it's not nice to lie to our friends…or me… Now, did you or did not make Peach cry." She leaned toward Drow's face, but turned toward Peach.

"…Don't you want to look at me?" Drow asked, feeling as if everyone in the room could hear her pounding heart. "I mean…it's impolite not to face the person you're talking to. Besides…you can look into my eyes and tell whether or not I'm lying."

"Silly Drow," Morel giggled, reaching out to her while still giving an increasingly out of place smile to Peach. Drow winced, but Morel simply stroked her face. Her hand was uncomfortably warm. "You know I know about your little mind trick. 'Look into my eyes. To do as I say is bliss. To do otherwise is misery.' Right?"

"Dearest…"

"All right, ladies, time for bed," Daisy's voice said over the intercom. "Sorry I couldn't get you any food right now, but I already sent some guys to get takeout. They won't be back until morning though, since the nearest town is like a hundred miles away. Might as well just get ready for bed. Please follow the opening." The wall opposite the plexiglass fell over like a cheap set piece on a studio and two beds were revealed. "Yeah, I know it sucks, but these are the only beds on the base that weren't bolted to the floor. Take your pick. I'll see you in the morn…I mean aftern…well, I'll see you tomorrow whenever I wake up."

"Oh, how convenient," Morel smiled, looking at the bedroom. "Drow, move one of those beds our here, would you?" Drow attempted to use telekinesis, but it was no use with so many power-limiters on. "Well, that's why we were made with arms and legs, silly," Morel said, giving her a firm slap on the rear. Drow quickly hurried to a bed and grudgingly dragged it into the space where they all were.

"Goddess of My Heart, is this really necessary?" Drow asked, with a nervous laugh.

Morel, now seeming to literally give off steam, turned to Zelda. "Zelda…_Peach…_ Would you mind sleeping out here on this bed? My _silly_ lover Drow and I need to have a little private time. We'll put up that wall so we won't disturb you. Is that okay?"

Peach noticed the look of disdain on Drow's face as she began to lift the wall by herself. "Actually…"

"It's fine," Zelda said quickly with a smile. "You two have fun." Drow shot her a nasty look.

"Oh, we will," Morel smiled cheerfully as Drow struggled to lift the wall completely. "Won't we Drow?" she asked, firmly grabbing Drow's right breast.

"Ahhha ha ha yes!" Drow said, turning her yelp into a nervous laugh. There was a slight burning sensation.

"Night, Zelda," Morel said, easily lifting the wall with the other hand. Her hand burned into the stone, leaving a black imprint. "Goodnight to you too…_Peach._" The wall was up and there was a moment of silence.

"Do you think they'll be all right?" Peach asked worriedly since there was absolutely no sound coming through the wall. She did notice smoke creeping through the cracks as well as a slight fiery glow.

"This will be the best sleep I had in ages," Zelda said happily, plopping into bed.

_Note: The next chapter is going to be a little weird. Not quite"cover the children's eyes" weird like some of my previous episodes, but it might raise a few eyebrows. If you've stayed with me this long (especially after "The Truth" and"Death and Despair" of Sage Revival), it won't be a big deal at all. Just keep open minds. This is the Mario universe after all._


	9. Where Do Babies Come From?

**Where Do Babies Come From?**

Peach could not sleep. There was too much on her mind. She wondered about what was going on in Bowser's mind. Why had he suddenly become so violent? Why did he create clones of Zelda and her? Was Drow okay? She had noticed that the smoke and glow had disappeared. After musing over such thoughts for a few hours, she slid out of bed and pushed on the wall. It tilted open as if it was a spinning wall and she stepped through.

The room smelled as if a fire had been put out recently. She saw Morel lying in bed, curled up in the covers. Her uniform was strewn about the room in charred pieces. Peach looked through the room carefully before seeing Drow fully clothed and sitting in the corner, blankly staring into space. She seemed as if she was in thought.

Peach slowly approached and said quietly, "Drow?"

"Yes, Mistress!" she blurted.

"Drow, it's me, Peach."

"Oh…I'm sorry," Drow said, coming to her senses. "Good…morning?"

"Are you okay? She didn't hurt you, did she?"

"No…no. No, she didn't hurt me." Drow sounded distracted.

"What's wrong?"

"No, no, it's nothing," Drow said.

"No really…you can tell me," Peach said putting a hand on her shoulder.

"She didn't hurt me," Drow insisted.

"Then what is it?"

"How can I explain this to someone like you?" Drow thought aloud. "Hmm, she…lit the fuse to the bomb…but put it out before it could explode…"

"I…don't think I understand," she said, looking at the charred remains of Morel's clothing.

"I was the bomb. She set off several of her own bombs though…" She saw the somewhat bewildered look on Peach's face. "Never mind. What are you doing up?"

"I couldn't sleep," Peach said.

"Need some help?" Morel asked, startling the two.

"…Did I wake you?" Peach asked.

"Kinda, but it's no big deal. Come here." Peach slowly approached her. Morel patted the bed, inviting her in.

"I wouldn't want to intrude," Peach said, looking back to Drow.

"Don't worry about it," Morel smiled. "I just want to help you get to sleep. Elfy?"

"Yes, Muffin?" Drow responded quickly.

"Did you get it all?"

"Yes, just as we practiced," Drow said, as Peach sat next to Morel. Peach felt Morel peck her on the cheek and she instantly fell asleep.

"Then, come to bed," Morel said, moving over so that there was space between her and Peach. "Make sure Peach gets plenty of cover."

* * *

When Zelda awakened, she was somewhat startled by Peach's absence. She had awakened because of a minor stomachache, likely from not eating. She hopped out of bed and snuck into the next room. She shook her head in disgust upon seeing a Peach on either side of Drow. All of them were sleeping peacefully. She heard a mechanical noise behind her and saw the plexiglass sliding open. Several guards walked in with Daisy, who looked as if she had just woken up in her yellow pjs.

"Of all the times not to bring my camera," Daisy said dryly, looking at the sight alongside Zelda. She yawned and spoke, "Cover your ears." Zelda did as told as Daisy activated a piercing beep on a megaphone.

Drow and Morel bolted out of bed, quickly disarmed the guards, and floored them. By the time Daisy turned off the sound, Morel was positioned to snap her neck and Drow was ready to do the same to Zelda. Coming to their senses, they quickly released them and stepped back.

"Don't do that," Morel said, snatching away the megaphone.

"Jeez, put some clothes on!" Daisy said, covering her eyes.

"What's going on?" Peach asked, sitting up in bed.

"It's time for breakfast," Daisy said, still looking away.

* * *

They were all inside a lounge room, eating their takeout. There were a number of armed guards all around the room. Morel's uniform had been replaced. Zelda was gobbling down the fast food, getting looks from the others.

"That's familiar," Daisy smiled. "Man, those test results really were useless."

"Before you say anything…" Morel said. She nudged Drow beside her. Drow rose beside her and began to recite her speech.

"Dear Peach. This is an apology for upsetting…"

"Ahem!" Morel said loudly.

"But, Muffin!"

"Like we rehearsed," Morel said firmly. Drow sighed and continued her speech.

"This is an apology for…harassingfondlingmolestingandorsexuallyabusingyouinanywayshapeorform…which of course, I did _not_…"

"Never hurts to say sorry anyway," Morel said, patting her back.

"I must also apologize on behalf of Morel and myself for kidnapping Zelda, turning the Sages against both of you, and any other offenses, be they physical or mental, we may have committed against you. As promised, we will turn ourselves in to the incompetent authorities of Sarasaland, who could have simply looked for the microchip, asked questions pertaining to events that took place after you were rescued by the Royal Navy of Sarasaland, or simply observe that neither Zelda nor Peach have assassin instincts that activate when being SCARED OUT OF OUR WITS BY A BLARING,BLOODYBULLHORN!"

"P.S." Morel added. "Daisy's fashion sucks."

"Hey!" Daisy objected.

"Thank you…I think," Peach said with a look of slight confusion.

"Now, we can get back to work on what really matters," Zelda said, still eating voraciously. "Can we please remove these power-limiters?" Daisy nodded. A few guards walked over and quickly removed the restraints on Zelda and Peach. "Much better."

As the guards began to take Morel and Drow away, Daisy halted them. "Just wanted to clear up one thing. According to our incredibly unreliable sources, at least one of you four is expecting a baby." Morel and Drow did not seem terribly concerned. Zelda looked extremely uncomfortable and stopped chewing momentarily. Peach seemed pleasantly surprised.

"That's great news," she said. "Isn't it, Zelda?"

"Sure," Zelda said, looking down and continuing to eat.

"Have any of you been experiencing any symptoms?" Daisy asked. Drow and Morel gave looks of complete apathy.

"Symptoms like what?" Peach asked.

"Pain around abdominal area, maybe some morning sickness, moodiness…that sort of stuff."

"My stomach's been hurting for a while," Peach said. "I've been sick many mornings lately. And…I have been crying more than usual. Maybe I'm pregnant!"

"You're taking this awfully well," Zelda said with absolutely no zeal. "You don't even know for sure."

"Just think about it, Zel!" Peach said, hugging her. "I might be a mother soon! Wouldn't that be great? I always knew I'd have a child of my own sooner or later."

"Can we go back to the cell now?" Morel asked.

"Yeah, sure. Take em' away," Daisy said to the guards. Nearly all of the guards escorted them out. "Now, Peach, are you absolutely sure you're pregnant? You don't seem like you'd…okay, none of you seem like you'd get pregnant. The clones don't swing that way, you're a saint, and Zelda's only like seventeen. I mean, seriously. There's a good chance the results were completely wrong."

"I wonder what a good name would be?" Peach said, not listening to her. "Grandma will be so excited! Even Daddy will be surprised! I can finally be called Mama Peach, but it'll be true. Ohhhh! It'll be so sweet! Daisy, get us to Chai as soon as possible. I want the best doctor in Sarasaland to make sure my baby will be healthy."

"Aren't you supposed to be looking for the Wanderer or something?" Daisy asked.

Peach suddenly stopped smiling and seemed a bit deflated. "Actually, Daisy…I don't think there's really any reason to look for her."

"But Geno said she might be the solution to ending this mess," Daisy said.

"As did the Goddesses," Zelda reminded her sourly. "You shouldn't just give up on looking for her."

"Why not?" Peach asked, frowning. "She might not even be alive anymore. No use searching for someone who isn't around to be found."

"Peach, I'm disappointed in you," Zelda said, frowning at her.

"Why?"

"It's your mother, for Din's sake!" Zelda scolded her.

"…I don't have a mother," Peach replied somewhat bitterly as she rose from the table and walked toward the door. "She died a long time ago. If you want to look for someone who doesn't exist, be my guest Zelda!" She exited and slammed the door behind her. Daisy and Zelda were stunned.

"Well, I'll give her one thing," Daisy said. "She's definitely been moody lately. Almost as much as you." Zelda began stuffing her face again and paid Peach no mind. "Aren't you going to talk to her?"

"I'm still hungry," Zelda said bluntly.

"Okay, then mind if I ask what was up with you saying it's been six months since your last period?"

"I was unconscious for four months when Bowser had captured us," Zelda said when her mouth wasn't full. "Peach and I were in Hyrule for almost a month. And I was here while Peach was in recovery for nearly a month. I just rounded to six, okay?"

"So, really, you just missed one," Daisy reasoned. "I guess that makes sense. Activity and stress can make you go off schedule or even skip occasionally…"

"This is not appropriate for discussion while eating," Zelda said somewhat irritably.

* * *

Zelda discovered more of Peach's reasons for wanting to go back to Chai. For one, she wanted to be with her family while she was expecting. Secondly, she "knew" that the Stork would have an easier time delivering a baby in a mountain area because of the high altitude. The Stork would not have to fly as far. Furthermore, if the Stork could only deliver a "baby seed," Peach could simply plant it in the fertile soil of Chai and grow it in a garden. The fact that Peach, and everyone else, was holding a straight face about this disturbed Zelda greatly. Although Zelda had never seen a baby born, she had been taught that conception and birth occurred _very_ differently. She had heard such silly stories about "the Stork" or a "Baby Garden" in her childhood, but she thought they were nothing more than euphemisms and children's tales. However, the more she heard Peach talk seriously about literally gathering enough birds and bees to help her tend her garden, the more Zelda began to question whether things actually worked that way in this world. An even stranger thought occurred to her: What if the method Impa had told her about was just another lie to hide the truth about reproduction? What if birds and bees did in fact work together to cultivate Baby Gardens? What if Storks did in fact drop off infants at their parents' homes? A drunken Stork would certainly explain why some babies were not like either of their parents. A drunken Stork would especially explain how Peach, of all people, would receive a child.

She silently mused over these thoughts as Peach constantly went over everything she would need to make things perfect for the baby. She accompanied Peach to the hospital and silently watched the ultrasound process, which was supposedly just in case "the Stork had already dropped off the infant." Of course, Zelda had no idea how the Stork would be able to do such a thing unnoticed.

"Well, Your Majesty," the doctor said, looking in the garble of pixels on the screen. "I don't see any activity, but your symptoms are convincing and your tests show that you are perfectly applicable. Now tell me. Do you plan to carry the baby, start a garden, or are you counting on a full delivery?"

"I'm not sure," Peach said, smiling enthusiastically. "Carrying it in my stomach seems like a little too much trouble, especially when it grows bigger. I keep getting hurt there, so it's probably not a good idea. If it's not already in me and if I don't get a full delivery from Mr. Stork, I guess I'll just plant it like my moth….I mean, like I was."

"You grew in a garden?" Zelda asked incredulously.

"A peach garden," Peach giggled.

"Princess," the doctor said, turning off the machine. "If you happen to get a seed, or a spore in your case, feel free to plant it right away. Just keep an eye on the garden, water it every so often, and you should have a beautiful, healthy baby. Be sure to visit a doctor every month, just to see whether you're already carrying."

"Thank you so much," Peach said cheerfully.

Once they left the hospital and went to the castle, Zelda stopped in the main hall and asked, "Peach…"

"Yes, Zelda?"

"Where do babies come from?"

"That's funny," Peach laughed.

"Seriously," Zelda said, looking at the ground unsurely. "I heard something very different from all this. I think I can trust you enough to tell me the truth."

"It's really simple. When a person really wants a baby, they just do one of two things. The hardest and least common way is to make a seed and plant it in a garden. Just take care of the seed for about nine months and it'll grow into a baby. The other way is to simply wish for one. The wish gets sent to a baby factory and a Stork delivers it to you from there. Sometimes, you don't even have to ask if you're already with someone, but I have heard stories about single people getting kids too. The Stork usually gives you an infant, but sometimes they'll just give you a seed to plant yourself. Other times, the Stork will get you to ingest the seed and it grows in your stomach. Then, you just go to the hospital so it can be born. Easy as that."

"I see," Zelda responded simply. "And how would you know whether to expect a visit?"

"All those things Daisy mentioned, I guess," Peach said. "All I know is that you get signs so that you won't be caught completely off-guard. Whenever, you're pregnant, you'll always have some kind of suspicion, even if the Stork hasn't visited you yet."

"I see," Zelda repeated, staring at the floor somberly.

"You've been having that look a lot lately," Peach said. "Zelda…is there something wrong? You seem sad…"

"It's…not important," Zelda said.

"Tell me anyway," Peach insisted. "I want to know what's bothering you. This is a time to be happy, not all sad and gloomy."

"Do you promise not to tell anyone?" Zelda asked, making sure no one else was listening.

"Princess to princess," Peach raised her hand, giggling.

"I don't know…it's just…never mind." She began to turn to walk away, but Peach stopped her.

"Zelda, please, just tell me," Peach said, taking a more serious tone. "I'll probably never be as good of a friend to you as Malon, but I want to at least try. Please, let me try. That reminds me. I wanted to apologize."

"For what?" Zelda said, caught by surprise.

"When I saw you and Malon together, I thought you two were in love with one another," Peach said somewhat guiltily. "When you said you were just great friends, I didn't believe you and I was wrong to do that. I realize now that you really were just having fun with one another in your own way as really close friends."

"Really?"

"Yep."

"What convinced you?" Zelda asked.

"Drow and I…we did the same thing, more or less," Peach said, blushing somewhat. "That's why we were like that when you found us in her room. We were tickling one another. In the process, we got rid of most of our clothes to tickle each other even more. It was really fun… And I think I can understand giving a person a friendly kiss… So, can you forgive me?"

"Uh, of course," Zelda said, completely surprised to hear something like that.

"Now, could you tell me what's bothering you?"

"I…missed my period," Zelda said quietly.

"Oh? Is that all?" Peach asked. "What's so bad about that?"

"In my world, it's a very strong sign of pregnancy," Zelda said uneasily.

"You mean you're pregnant!" Peach whispered. "Oh, I'm so happy for you!"

Zelda got another uncomfortable look on her face and struggled to keep herself from crying. "Well I'm not!" she yelled. She rushed off upstairs to the suite they had been given. Several people nearby had looked in her direction.

Peach followed her to her room and found her lying on her bed sobbing. "Zelda…why are you crying? Why aren't you happy? You'll be bringing a new life into the world."

"You don't understand!" Zelda sobbed. "I can't just get pregnant out of the blue like you apparently can. In Hyrule, it takes a man to fertilize a woman."

"What do you mean?" Peach asked.

"I mean as in sex!" Zelda yelled. "That's the whole point of it, to reproduce!"

"A…Are you sure?" Peach asked, feeling somewhat disturbed by that concept.

"Yes! My mother never wanted a child! She got pregnant because she had sex with my father. Had a Stork ever visited her, she probably would have killed the bloody thing!"

"Oh…So…you don't want a baby?" Peach asked uncomfortably.

"It's not just that," Zelda sniffled. "Remember how I said it takes a man to fertilize a woman?"

"Yes…"

"There's only one man I've ever been with that way…" Zelda said, looking up at Peach. She saw the exact moment when the implications hit her like a slap in the face.

"Oh…oh my!" Peach fell back into a chair.

"I don't want to give birth to a…a _thing_ like that," Zelda said, grimacing. "I…I'd rather kill myself than…"

"No! No, Zelda!" Peach said, standing up to hold her. "It's going to be all right. It'll be just fine. It won't get to that, okay? Do you hear me? Mama Peach won't let it get that far."

"Peach, it's not like I have a choice," Zelda cried into her shoulder. "I would love to get rid of it…but that's just wishful thinking. I'll have run myself through with the Master Sword itself just to make sure. I'm not even sure if you should bother reviving me if there's a risk of reviving _it_. Peach, I…"

"Shhhhhh!" Peach calmed her, cradling her slightly. "It's all right, Zelda. You don't have to do anything like that. Mama Peach will make it all better. There are places made for situations like this."

* * *

"What's an abortion?" Zelda asked as they walked to what looked like a miniature fortress. There were surface-to-air missiles and gun turrets propped onto the roof and rows of what looked like Giras with drills on their noses. The anti-air armaments were obviously for warding off any unwanted Storks out of the sky. The drilling bullets could be bought to eradicate gardens. Peach never answered her question, merely walking inside. The building seemed completely empty, except for the idle Pionpi in white sitting behind a desk as a receptionist.

"A customer?" the scarecrow asked, looking up from its newspaper. "Royalty?"

"Yes," Peach said quickly. "My friend might need an abortion as soon as possible. But we're not sure if she's pregnant or not. And if she is, heaven forbid, we don't know whether the Stork has come by or not."

"Has she laid any eggs, seeds, or anything else like that?" it asked.

"No."

"Has she already made any hasty wishes?"

"No."

"Expecting a little surprise, huh?"

"Hopefully not," Peach said, frowning.

"She's human, right?"

"More or less. We think it might already be inside of her…"

"Right through that door," the Pionpi said. "There's a gynecologist waiting. She'll see whether any action is actually necessary."

"What's a gynecologist?" Zelda asked as they walked through the door.

"I'm not sure," Peach said. "I know they only have female patients though."

The doctor was actually a female Toad, with purple spots on her mushroom hat. The room was somewhat large. There were various tools lying about and two beds. Everything looked so white and clean, as if the room had been vacuum-sealed. "Princess Peach? I thought you were going through with it."

"I am," Peach said. "This is for her."

"Oh, I see," the Toad said understandingly, if somewhat surprised. "Peach, when was the last time you saw your gynecologist?"

"I never had one," Peach said. "I'm a Toad, remember?"

"True, but you're a special case," the doctor said.

"How do you know?" Peach asked, blushing a bit.

"Apparently your mother sent your health records to every major health center on the planet," the doctor said. "She made it clear that your physiology matches more that of a standard human than a Mushroom person. Since you are expecting, it wouldn't hurt for you to participate. I can check on both of you for the price of one. Now, just take off your underwear and lie on the beds."

"Will this hurt?" Zelda asked.

"No, dear," the doctor said. "It'll just feel…funny."

* * *

Peach and Zelda walked out of the clinic in mixed spirits. Zelda felt relieved, if slightly strange for being touched in such a sensitive area. She had never been pregnant. She had indeed just missed a period from an irregular cycle. She had even been given small dose of a special "medicine" that would guarantee sterility for at least a month. Of course, she nearly fainted after drinking the medication known colloquially as Trial Stew, but Peach easily got her back to full power.

Peach was a little more sullen. She had found out that she was not pregnant. Being skewered so many times had erased nearly any chance of that happening for at least a year. Furthermore, she found out what happened to people who had to go to the hospital to have their babies. It was discouraging to find out how much pain it would involve. It didn't help that she also found out that it was rare for humans to receive seeds to be planted or full infants from the Stork. Apparently, humans almost always had to carry it for nine months.

Zelda looked at Peach, who looked back at her. At this point, Zelda was obviously in better spirits, but Peach tried to look happy for her sake. "Well, Peach, now you don't have much of an excuse. Why don't we start the search for the Wanderer tomorrow?"

Peach looked down briefly and replied slightly sullenly, "Okay, Zelda…We'll start tomorrow."

"And Peach…"

"Yes?"

"Thank you so much," Zelda said, laying a hand on her shoulder. "I'm glad that I'm clean, but I'm gladder that you helped me right away. You never cease to come through for me when it comes to personal crises like that. You're already a great friend. At the rate you've been going, you'll probably become my best friend, next to Malon, just for sticking by me so long."

"You're welcome."


	10. Quest for the Wanderer

**Quest for the Wanderer**

Peach had been quiet during the entire trip to the ruins of Toad Town. Daisy had dropped her and Zelda off at the outpost outside Mushroom City. Luigi was the one who escorted them all the way to the castle grounds. There was minor resistance from a few normal Goombas and the occasional Koopa Troopa, but Luigi made short work of them. Geno had not come along, seeing as his presence was needed at a battle on Yoshi's Island. Daisy had made it her first priority to fire every single government official in Easton, so she was unavailable.

Peach surveyed the snowy ruins of her town distantly. She was too distracted to be affected very much by the devastating scenery. Most of the buildings were smashed in. The ground had various holes from blasts and Piranha Plants. There was even a pair of trails engraved into the ground from the Chain Chomps that had come through. Zelda and Luigi looked much more sullen about the scenery, but remained relatively quiet for Peach's sake.

Once they reached the castle grounds, they saw the giant hole where the front door had been. The fountain that had been nearby was shattered. The stained glass window with Peach's image had been smashed. There were blackened areas from fire and explosions all about the outer walls. Even though it was winter, it was easy to see that nearly all the trees were dead. Many had been uprooted, knocked over, or even shattered. The birds had left this place long ago as well. It was a somber, quiet place indeed. Despite this, Peach continued forward.

After they entered, they could see that the interior was in a similar condition. The floor was dirtied with mud. The walls had been covered in graffiti. A wall had been blown open where there had been a door leading to the courtyard and basement. After going through, they found that the formerly blocked passage had been cleared somewhat. Wooden supports had been placed to keep the upper floor from crumbling down, allowing the trio to walk through and pass into the courtyard. It was in the same sad state as before, only covered in a small layer of snow. The star statue was in the middle of the fountain as usual, seemingly the only thing untouched by any form of damage.

Peach stood before the statue, simply staring at it with a melancholy look. She revealed the miniature Star Piece that Drow had given to her. "Now what?" she asked dully.

"Does anyone have any idea what that inscription says?" Luigi asked.

"It's a memorial," Zelda said. "It says 'In memory of the Dread King Morton and the Witch Queen Maggie.' Does that mean anything to anyone?"

"Peach?" Luigi said, having no idea.

"Those were Bowser's parents…" Peach spoke simply. "They were said to be the most evil Koopas to have ever lived."

"Why would there be a memorial for them here?" Zelda asked.

"Common decency, I guess," Luigi shrugged. "But what does that have to do with the Wanderer?"

"She's the one who killed them," Peach said bitterly.

"Oh…" Luigi said, getting nervous.

"You say it as if it's a bad thing," Zelda said. "You should be happy that she slew such evil creatures."

"No one has the right to take the life of another," Peach said, actually sneering at her. "No matter how bad..."

"You know well enough that death is sometimes the only viable solution," Zelda said sternly.

Peach walked away. "I don't know why we bothered coming here…" She tossed the Star Piece over her shoulder. It landed in the pool of water, causing a peculiar sound to go off. Peach glanced back and saw the pool fading through various colors of the rainbow. The panel on the statue with inscription popped open, revealing that it was actually a hinged door of a safe of sorts.

Zelda reached inside and pulled out a scroll.

"What does it say?" Luigi asked, unable to read the text. "Can you read it?"

"The language is a bit archaic, but I can manage. It says, 'If to reach the Fallen One is what thou dost desire, seek the monuments of her legacy. If this riddle be too thickly spun, seek the help of a Faceless One.' I…think I understand. Assuming the Fallen One is the Wanderer, we have to find the other monuments of the Wanderer. And if we have trouble we can ask one of the Shamans."

"You mean like Merlon and his family?" Luigi said. "That wouldn't be so easy. They cleared out of here a long time ago. So many Shamans joined Bowser's army, they wouldn't be safe in the Mushroom Kingdom anymore. They'd be hated by nearly everyone just for being Shamans. Some of them are supposed to be in Rogueport, last I heard."

"Some of them?" Zelda asked.

"Well…Merle and his son Merlowe are supposed to be in Starborn Valley," Luigi said. "It's not really a place you can get to on foot from here…not after Toad Town Tunnels was destroyed."

"That shouldn't matter much," Zelda said. "I know where at least one other monument is."

"Where?"

"In Dinosaur Land," Zelda said, picking up the Star Piece. The panel closed and the water returned to normal. "Peach and I came across a statue of the Wanderer just outside a haunted house in a forest."

"Oh…that place…" Luigi said, shivering. "I remember that place… I hate ghost houses."

"That's where we're heading next," Zelda said, turning back to the castle.

"Uh…I think have some work to do back in Mushroom City," Luigi said.

"Suit yourself," Zelda said with a small smirk. "Peach?"

"…Coming."

* * *

"You want to what!" Syrup exclaimed over the videophone in the hidden outpost of Mushroom City.

"We just want to go back to Dinosaur Land," Zelda said. "It's our only lead right now as to the Wanderer's whereabouts."

"It's great that you're trying to help out, kid, but do you realize there's heavy combat going on right now on Yoshi's Island?"

"All the more reason to go now," Zelda said, looking at a map. "According to this, the battle going on should draw away enough attention for us to get through relatively unnoticed. The area I want to go to is only a few kilometers away from a stronghold. If we wait until the battle is over security will be too high for us to get through."

"What makes you think the battle hasn't madethem _heighten_ their security?" Syrup asked. "In case you haven't noticed, Bowser's been wising up. He doesn't just leave holes in his plan like he used to. He's covered his tail pretty well…" She suddenly seemed distracted and talked to someone off screen. "…Really? How did he know? Check all lines of communication! I want every single one of them secured!"

"What's the matter?"

"Our informant just sent us a message. He says he'll get the security lightened in the area. This is looking just a tad too fishy, though…"

"We'll take it," Zelda said. "Could we have a little back-up though?"

"The most I can give you is a transport," Syrup said. "Everybody else is busy. Daisy's making sure none of the politicians in Easton ever find work again. Geno's fighting on Yoshi's Island. Wario and Waluigi are investigating DK Isle. Jinx is keeping the Koopas out of Rogueport. The Master is keeping watch over Mushroom City. And that coward Luigi is about to check out Jewel Land."

"I see," Zelda said. "We'll take what we can get."

* * *

Zelda and Peach beamed down on the eastern edge of the Forest of Illusion. They had just been teleported from a flying saucer. They weren't able to get any closer to their destination for fear of being spotted on the radar. The princesses would have to make their way through the forest on their own and get to the Ghost House. For the purposes of the mission, they were not in dresses as usual. Zelda was using a green camouflage variant of her Sheikah outfit. Peach was wearing standard-issue fatigues from the Sarasaland army. She had a small utility belt instead of a backpack. Her gloves were black and less elegant. She tied her hair into a ponytail. When it was suggested that she wear a cap instead of a crown, she vehemently refused.

They began their journey northwestward. Every so often, they had to duck behind trees or bushes to avoid being sighted by various patrols of Koopatrols who, mercifully, were not mutants. Wigglers paid them no mind and the Goombas around the area were too inept to notice them. It quickly became evident that there were no mutants of any kind in the forest. All the enemies were orthodox. Apparently, the mutants were off fighting on Yoshi's Island. Faint sounds of the battle could occasionally be heard.

Despite the absence of mutants, the area was still well fortified. As Zelda and Peach moved deeper into the forest, they found larger presences of enemies. Wary Bob-ombs marched back and forth in given areas, forcing the princesses to move around them. They had to keep a considerable distance from occasional Chain Chomps because of the monsters' keen sense of smell. It became more difficult to bypass such threats when their patrol areas were beginning to become more crowded with each other. Peach brought the trek to a halt when she began seeing Bullet Bill Blasters. She new the cannons would shoot at any intruder within their relatively impressive sight. They were all so well placed that progressing further would only draw fire, thus alerting the entire area.

"There's no way we can get by without being spotted," Peach whispered, as they spied on a clearing full of Blasters.

"There must be some way of getting by," Zelda said. "We just have to think how. Are you sure there isn't a way?"

"The only place you can be for one not to fire is on top of it," Peach said. "…Or directly in front of it. But even if we did that, the others would fire anyway, even if the shot was nowhere near us. Zelda…let's just go back."

"Hmm…" Zelda thought. "I might be able to do something, but…I'm not sure."

"What is it?" Peach asked.

"I'm the Sage of Time," Zelda explained. "If all the sages have become more powerful, my abilities should be enhanced. What I'm saying is I might be able to freeze time long enough for us to get through."

"If you can do it, why didn't you use it before? You could have defeated Drow and Morel a long time ago."

"It's untested," Zelda said. "Add that to the fact that such feats _usually_ require the Ocarina of Time. The last time I checked, though, Link had it… I suppose it's worth a try though. Hold onto me or you might be stuck with everything else." Peach held onto her as Zelda concentrated. She began to give off a blue glow.

"Nothing's happening," Peach said, looking around.

"Come on…" Zelda whispered, clenching her fist. Her Triforce piece began to glow.

"Still nothing," Peach said.

"Blast it all…" Zelda muttered. She slowly materialized her lyre and played the Song of Time. Her aura flared and she collapsed as it was extinguished like a smothered flame.

"Zelda!" Peach gasped. She noticed that her voice seemed hollow, as if it were echoing within her. She lifted Zelda up and looked into the clearing. There was a Koopatrol standing with its eyes closed. A Para Koopatrol was frozen in midair, not moving at all. Peach turned to her side and saw that the lyre Zelda had dropped was still floating in the air, frozen mid-fall.

Peach grabbed the lyre and hurriedly carried Zelda through the clearing. As she jogged along, she was horrified that there were more and more forms of security as she ran along. There was a clearing full of Bob-ombs. All the trees had at least one Blaster attached to them. She also began to notice Super Koopas in mid-flight. These rare shell-less Koopas had acquired the Cape power-up, presumably from using the Feathers that could be found in Dinosaur Land.

In a few moments, Peach began to notice the effects of the time freeze wearing off. Some enemies were beginning to blink, if to a extremely slow degree. At the moment, Peach would be nothing more than a barely visible blur to them. However, as time began to return to its normal flow, she noticed that she was leaving a slowly building dust trail behind her. In the sense of normal time, she was going blindingly fast and leaving a trail. With tiring arms and legs, as well as seemingly no end to the security forces, she would be caught when the effect wore off.

She spotted a Super Koopa that was apparently teasing a Chain Chomp. She gave the Super Koopa a light tap in the direction of the Chomp. It reverted to a normal, though still shell-less, Koopa, wearing nothing more than an undershirt and shorts. Its cape had reverted into a Feather, which she quickly grabbed. Though the effect would normally happen in a flash, time was still moving slow enough for it to appear gradually. She ran with as much speed as she could muster, despite her aching limbs, so that she would be able to lift off as soon as she had her cape.

She would need it, for there was a large gorge before her that was completely absent of the usual floating platforms. She could tell that the Ghost House would be on the other side because there were no forms of security in sight over there. She jumped as soon as she reached the edge. With her cape not quite ready yet, she used her floating ability to move forward without falling. In seconds, though, she was plummeting downward with Zelda. Darkness began to overtake them as they fell further from the sunlight.

However, the trademark sound of the cape being fully formed let her know that she was able to fly. She put all her energy into rising back upwards. If she fell too far, the cape would give out before she reached the opposing ledge. Inconveniently enough, Zelda began to stir.

"…Blasted Sage powers…Huh?" she said, coming to her senses. "Peach, wha…? Aaaah!" she screamed in realization. "What's going on?"

Peach ignored her, instead focusing on getting back up and to the other side. Eventually, she reached the altitude of the ledge, but only as her flight began to weaken. "Zelda, hold onto me!"

"How are you flying!" Zelda exclaimed, clinging to her and looking down into the dark abyss. As Peach nearly dropped the lyre, Zelda grabbed it and put it away.

With her hands freed, Peach grabbed the back of her cape and billowed it so that they floated up slightly. She repeated this over and over again, so that they would stay aloft while moving towards the ledge. Unfortunately, her speed had decreased to the point that she was just floating up and down in the same spot.

"Zelda, use your telekinesis to push us forward!" Peach said in a strained voice. "I can't keep this up!"

"It doesn't quite work that way, Peach," Zelda said, still clinging to her somewhat fearfully. "I can't push myself, and we're too close to one another."

"Then, push off of something," Peach said, feeling her arms burn.

Zelda turned back and saw a shell-less Koopa struggling to escape the hungry jaws of a Chain Chomp far in the distance. Time was at it's normal flow once again. She focused and stretched her telekinesis outward.

"Hurry, Zelda!" Peach yelled, beginning to sink.

Slowly, as the poor Koopa was being pushed further into the Chomp's mouth, Zelda and Peach began move forward. Eventually, even the Chomp was being pushed back. The Koopa's cries for help echoed through the forest until it was finally consumed. The Chain Chomp was still being pushed so hard, though, that the peg pinning its chain down came out of the ground. The unchained Chomp hopped back toward other possible meals, leaving Zelda to change tactics. With no proper leverage to push off the ledge behind them, she instead attempted to pull at the increasingly close ledge in front of them. It was a much more unfamiliar, and thus difficult task.

"Shining Star! Give me strength!" Peach shouted. She was filled with a temporary boost of energy and quickly began to make up for lost altitude. Just before she reached the ledge, however, she fainted.

"Peach!" Zelda cried. They fell a short distance before Zelda drove her dagger into the ledge wall. She held Peach precariously by the back of her collar. Zelda strained to pull Peach up, but only succeeded in loosening her grip on her. "Peach wake up! Wake up, blast you!" When she finally lost her grip, she tightly caught Peach between the soles of her feet. She winced at how she was pinning Peach by her chest and back, but tightened her two-footed embrace.

"Mmph…" Peach grunted slightly from the uncomfortable position. Zelda knew that if she had not acted sooner, she might have pinned Peach by her neck or head. There was only one way out of this situation.

"With the flow, not against it," Zelda sighed. She outstretched her free hand and telekinetically tugged at Peach. Realizing that she was trying too hard, she instead tried to simply hold her. She envisioned dipping her hands into a stream and cupping the water. Once Peach, the water, was secure, she slowly lifted her upward to her face. Peach was floating before her, lying flat. Now was the hard part: lifting the water above herself.

As she began to lift, the imagined water began to trickle down her arm. Likewise, Peach began to quickly slide back downward. Zelda panicked and used one imagined hand to catch the falling water. Peach fell further, no longer being supported by the raised hand.

Zelda quickly changed tactics, imagining holding a bug by its leg, Peach's leg, while keeping an open palm below just in case it fell. Too careful to not drop the bug, she heard a slight cracking noise. Peach's leg was now broken and she lost her cape. Fortunately, her unconscious state allowed her to make little more than a grunt. Zelda lifted the bug higher over herself, until it was laid on a shelf above her. Peach was safely on the ledge now.

Zelda, herself, produced the Gilded Sword she had held onto from her first fight with Drow. She used it along with her dagger to climb the ledge until she laid herself exhaustedly alongside Peach. She stared into the blue, sunny, but somewhat obscured sky.

"Well…that wasn't so bad," Zelda panted. Peach gave another grunt of pain. "She'll just heal it when she wakes up," Zelda said to herself. After taking a moment to rest and look to a compass, she gently took Peach over her shoulder and continued the trek to the Ghost House. The hard part was over.

"Zelda?" Peach murmured, waking up. "We made it?"

"Yes, thankfully," Zelda said.

"Why does my leg _really_ hurt?" Peach asked somewhat accusingly.

"That was an accident," Zelda said. "I…broke your leg."

"You used your telekinesis on me, didn't you?"

"Yes," Zelda said humbly. "But…I'm sure it won't be anything you can't heal."

"I spent all my energy flying across that ledge," Peach said.

"Oh…"

"Don't worry too much," Peach said, patting her back as a signal to stop. Zelda gently sat her down. Peach reached into a compartment on her belt and pulled out two Maple Syrups. She drank both bottles and healed herself. She was quickly on her feet and walking alongside Zelda.

"Sorry," Zelda apologized.

"Don't worry about it," Peach said, retrieving another bottle. "Want one? You fainted from that time freeze trick."

"Sure," Zelda said, drinking it. "How do you fit these inside those small compartments? There shouldn't even be enough room for one."

"I don't know," Peach shrugged. "They just do. How do you make things poof out of nowhere?"

"An infinite space pocket," Zelda said matter-of-factly. "It's an old Sheikah secret. Most people in Hyrule just use expanded space pockets on their person. It's similar to what you apparently use."

"Okay…" Peach said.

"Peach, do you mind if I ask you a personal question?"

"No, go ahead."

"Why do you hate your mother?" There was a silence, and Zelda was not sure if Peach had heard her. "Peach?"

"There's the Ghost House," Peach said, making her way through a patch of berry bushes.

"Hmm."

As they walked into the clearing, they saw the statue of the Wanderer. Zelda glanced at Peach to see her expression. Peach caught her and remained straight-faced. She took out the Star Piece and held it out for Zelda.

"Here," she said. "If it's in Hylian, you should know what you're doing more than I will."

Zelda frowned, but took the Star Piece. She took a step toward the crying statue but stopped. "Peach…"

"You're the best for it, Zelda," Peach said. She took a step forward, but a shuriken was tossed into the ground before her. "Huh?" She looked around and saw nothing. She heard several whooshing sounds.

"How long have you been there?" Zelda asked, still facing the statue.

"Zelda, who are you talking to?" Peach asked, growing worried.

"Show yourselves," Zelda said. Black figures leapt out of the shadows, despite the fact that it was still early in the afternoon. Soon enough, a circle of Ninji surrounded Peach and Zelda. They were all unusually fierce-looking. Their eyes were extremely narrow and devoid of pupils. They had no rosy red cheeks. They didn't even have fangs poking out of their mouths.

"I knew you'd come back sooner or later," a female voice said. A red blur came out of the sky and landed in front of the statue. It was a red Bandit. "Remember me?"

"No," Zelda said.

"Not at all," Peach said.

The Bandit fell over in shock, but quickly came back to her feet. "I'm Bandita! You know, the Bandit that stopped you two from getting away with the Yoshis. Remember?"

"That was Bolt the Zeus Guy," Peach frowned.

"Bolt came later!" Bandita yelled angrily. She regained her composure. "Now, then _Queen_ Peach _Koopa_." Peach seemed as if she had just been hit and stepped back. "Oh, I see. Conveniently forgot all those bad memories, huh? Guess what? No one else did. Anywho, it's time to die."

"Why?" Peach asked.

"If she's your Queen," Zelda began, "why would you want to kill her."

"She's not _our_ queen," Bandita growled. "She's a murderer and the daughter of her," she said pointing to the statue. "Like mother, like daughter." Peach looked hurt.

"If Bowser hears about this…" Zelda began.

"Bowser can go fly a kite!" Bandita retorted. "Our leader came back and his first order is that the Wanderer's daughter be annihilated. It's just convenient that Bowser wants her dead anyway. Now Ninji, strike!"


	11. A Bloody Legacy

**A Bloody Legacy**

Each Ninji revealed a shuriken of some sort, whether it was a ninja star, a kunai, or even small knives. Zelda teleported to Peach and cast Nayru's Love just as a first round of shuriken were tossed at Peach. The blades bounced off and the Ninji hopped back to avoid being hit. They all stood still as Zelda and Peach, still shielded, slowly moved toward the statue.

"Don't think it'll be that easy," Bandita smirked. "Now prepare to meet your DOOM!" The final word echoed through the air in the form of visible musical notes and disappeared into Zelda's shield. The shield was immediately dispelled, much to Zelda's surprise.

"That was Doom Reverb," Peach said. "You won't be able to use magic unless I…" Zelda grabbed her and tossed down a Deku Nut just as more shuriken came their way. As soon as they were spotted a short distance away, the agile Ninji attacked directly, leaping at them with kicks and punches. Zelda, still holding Peach, ducked, sidestepped, and dodged, but was soon overwhelmed. They were both batted around until Zelda threw down another Deku Nut.

One of the Ninji predicted where they would appear and threw a small needle. Peach yelped as soon as it struck her arm. There was a puff of smoke and a pink mushroom was in her place.

"What did you do to her?" Zelda yelled, picking up the mushroom.

A Ninji leapt at her with a kunai in its paw. Zelda deflected it with her Gilded Sword and kicked the monster away. Another Ninji approached from behind, but she backflipped over it and slashed it out of the way. She jumped as another round of shuriken came at her, and ran towards the forest. Three Ninji leapt down in front of her and kicked her consecutively in the stomach. Zelda tumbled back, but held tight onto Peach. She felt a sharp pain as a ninja star dug into her back. She turned and saw that it was Bandita, who had been standing in the same spot smiling smugly.

"We're not after you, Zelda," she said. "Just give us the half-breed and we'll get out of your hair."

"I _am_ a half-breed," Zelda said angrily, pulling the shuriken out of her back.

"Whatever. Just give us the mushroom." Zelda saw that all the Ninji had shuriken ready. Conveniently enough, the mushroom reverted back into Peach, causing Zelda to fall over with her.

"Great timing," Zelda muttered. Peach quickly revealed a Psych Bomb and the circle of Ninji stepped back cautiously. Bandita threw a kunai, knocking the bomb out of her hand and into the forest. The 8-bits Club members all stared at the explosion, having never seen it up close before. It was enough time for Peach to dispel the Doom Reverb on Zelda.

They both got up and ran towards front door of the house.

"Hey, don't let them get away!" Bandita yelled. They all tossed their blades, but the door was closed just in time.

Zelda and Peach held the door closed, despite the banging and pushing coming from the other side. As Peach leaned against the door, she knelt slightly to use her Gard Gloves, hoping a few turnips would scare them off. Instead of a turnip, however, she uprooted a lit bomb. She dropped it instantly and got Zelda's attention. Zelda took hold of her and teleported away with her.

Their pursuers quickly burst through the door, just as the bomb floated up and out of their sight. Bandita stomped in saying, "All right girls! Where are you?" The door slammed behind them and the bomb plopped in front of them. "Aw sh…"

Zelda and Peach snickered from the second floor, peeking through the hole in the floor as the bomb went off. Then, they heard a rattling noise behind them. A Dry Bones was steadily approaching them. As soon as they turned around to confront the skeleton, it stopped in place. It pulled off a rib and lobbed it. Zelda raised her hand and stopped the bone with her telekinesis, accidentally crushing the bone into dust. The Dry Bones was taken aback at the sight. Zelda seemed surprised herself, but directed an evil grin to the Dry Bones.

"BOO!" came a voice from behind them, startling them. They turned around and saw a transparent Boo covering its face. The Dry Bones took the opportunity to make another attack, but was knocked to pieces with an effortless backhand from Peach.

Zelda attempted to blast the Boo with her Shining Ray, but the beam merely went through the ghost harmlessly.

"Like this, Zelda," Peach said, turning around. Zelda about-faced as well. As soon as the Boo uncovered its face and made its approach, Peach took a wide swipe at it, knocking it into the next plane of existence. "Most only attack when you have your back turned."

"I see," Zelda said. "We should get out of here. I doubt one bomb took care of all of them."

"Right," Peach agreed. Before they could even take a step, a Big Boo with a crown appeared before them.

"Ha ha ha!" he laughed. "You're not going anywhere!"

"This one doesn't seem so shy," Zelda said, stepping back.

"King Boo?" Peach said, as more ghosts began to appear around the room.

"The one and only!" he laughed, baring his fangs. "I heard you passed through here a while ago, so I stopped by in hope of stealing your soul for myself. I brought a few friends of mine just for the occasion."

"Why?" Peach asked. "Is it because of Bowser's orders? Or are you just under the pay of the 8-Bits Club?"

"Not that it matters," he snorted, "but word has it you're the Wanderer's daughter. What better irony than to off the child of the one who offed me."

"You mean she killed you?" Peach said. "But…you're a Boo…"

"Silly girl!" a Dry Bones cackled.

"We're ghosts, remember?" a Boo said.

"We're all dead!" they all said simultaneously.

"Oh yeah…" Peach said, feeling stupid. "But why are all of you doing this? It isn't as if she killed all of you." The clownish demeanor of all the Boos disappeared. The Dry Bones somehow seemed to sneer. The dino-like Eeries, who always floated silently, seemed even more silent. "Right?"

A Boo Guy, essentially a ghost Shy Guy, appeared next to King Boo. "Actually, deary…to be perfectly honest…half the undead beings in the world are her doing."

Peach looked devastated. Zelda spoke up, becoming worried about how outnumbered they were, "That seems a bit unrealistic. No one could cause this much death in a lifetime…not even the Wanderer."

A Greaper appeared on the other side of King Boo. It slowly floated around Zelda and Peach, dragging its sickle along the floor. "We may be seem to be a happy bunch…well, not me…but they do. Regardless, what do think it is that keeps us on this plane?"

"That lil' Boo Buddy of mine you just clocked," a Boo said, with a frighteningly serious face. "He'll be back because of her."

"So, you see," King Boo said, licking his lips and letting his slobbering tongue hang out of his now smiling mouth. "We all just want a little…closure. All the pranks and stuff are just fun on the side. So, what'll it be? I'll gladly do the honors. It'll be painless… I promise…"

Zelda stood in front of Peach and blocked her. "It's not going to happen today. I don't care what the Wanderer did. You're not taking it out on her."

"Hmph!" King Boo grunted. All of the ghosts disappeared instantly.

Bandita's voice could be heard echoing in the house. "Come out here cowards! You wanna play dirty! We'll play!" Soon enough, a stream of daggers was popping out of one hole and going into another.

"Aaaaaah!" Peach screamed.

"Peach, what's wrong? Are you hurt?" Zelda took hold of Peach, who was still screaming, but she was completely unharmed. "What's the matter?"

"Stop!" Peach screamed, falling back and squeezing her eyes closed. "Zelda, help me, please!" Zelda took swipes through the air, but felt nothing.

"Peach, there's nothing there!"

"Where'd you go? Don't leave me!"

"I'm right here!" Zelda said, holding her cheeks. Peach's eyes opened wide, but for some reason she could not see Zelda. Peach began to squirm furiously, eventually slapping Zelda by accident and kicking her. "Ouch! Peach, calm down!" Zelda tackled Peach to the ground just as a stream of daggers went over them. Peach was becoming so violent that Zelda had to pin her arms and legs down.

"No, stop it!" Peach cried. She formed a Psych Bomb in one hand. "Please!"

"Peach, no!" Zelda exclaimed. She took the Psych Bomb and tossed it down one of the holes. Seconds later, there was a small explosion.

"Son of a Blooper!" Bandita exclaimed. "Why won't you die!" The air quickly filled with daggers, forcing Zelda to stay low. Lying on Peach while restraining her was more challenging than she had thought because of the lack of leverage.

"Peach," Zelda said in a gentler voice. "I'm here for you. There's nothing to be afraid of."

"Zelda? Is that you?" Peach said, still panicked and frightened.

"Yes, now tell me what's wrong?"

"They won't go away," Peach cried. "I can feel them inside me…tearing my soul apart…All I can see are the horrible things _she_ did…I can't bare it!"

"Show me," Zelda said, closing her eyes and focusing.

* * *

The jungle was on fire. Spear Guys and a few stray Koopas were all running in the same direction, as if to escape something. All had a tribal motif. All were also terrified. They frequently glanced over their shoulders into the distance, while hopping over small patches of flaming bushes. Just behind them, a cloaked figure dashed through the foliage, paying little mind to the fire.

One Spear Guy tripped over a tree root. The other Spear Guys slowed only momentarily before continuing their sprint at full speed. In seconds there was a bloodcurdling scream echoing in the distance. Eventually, the Spear Guys began to see bloody masks scattered across the ground, along with a few fallen maskless Spear Guys lying face down, all with a few pools of blood beneath them. The supposed leader spoke an unknown language, commanding the others to form a circle and wait for their pursuer to show herself.

One of them gave a call, pointing to the cloaked figure mumbling to herself a short distance away. Though they could not see her face, she seemed to be whispering magic words. The pre-Shy Guys knew that such action would mean their doom. They pointed their spears and charged at her. She stood her ground, seeming to ignore them. Suddenly, a large lightning bolt blasted into their ranks, killing most of them in the process. The figure walked amongst their fallen bodies, glancing at them. One Spear Guy moaned and began to crawl away. The figure picked up a spear and held her foot on the Spear Guy. The Spear Guy cried for mercy. The figure heartlessly skewered him through the back of his head and walked on. Finding no more living Spear Guys, she sprinted off after the others.

* * *

There was a village of Toads, obviously in a different part of the world. It was reminiscent of Kakariko Village.Children were running about playfully. The adults went about their everyday business. Only a few guards, wearing some plate armor, stood at various important areas of the village, such as the bank, the courthouse, and the jailhouse. It was a peaceful, sunny place.

Suddenly, the sky turned fiery orange. Everyone stopped what they were doing to gaze into the sky. Their curious gazes soon turned to looks of fright as balls of fire rained onto the village. The first few were small and simply caused small fires on the roofs of the houses. Much bigger fireballs followed, destroying whole houses and creating small, blackened craters in the ground. Many people were killed in minutes. Survivors screamed in horror. Once the fire stopped raining down, the blazing village was eerily quiet, save a few pained moans.

A Toad boy, who was lucky enough to remain unharmed, raced to his home and found his mother's body covered in flames. His injured father, a guard, knelt crying before her. Then, he glared off into the distance. The Toad boy turned as well and saw a cloaked figure slowly walking into the village, surveying the damage. She did not notice the two survivors. The guard raised his sword with his good arm and ran at her, screaming the whole way. She quickly took notice. The Toad never got a chance to strike. His head plopped to the ground, leaving blood spurting out of his neck. The Toad boy stood with wide, teary eyes focused on the glowing, yellow sword that had slain his father. The sword had a ghostly aura. It appeared to be made of metal, liquid, and pure light all at once. The boy glanced once again at his mother's quickly disintegrating form and then at his father.

The cloaked figure took notice of the child, who was quickly approaching with a small plank of burning wood. The boy broke into a run and charged just as his father had. The figure voiced a warning that he would meet a similar end. The boy did not care, never slowing in his charge. In an instant, his life was ended as well.

* * *

The stars themselves were bombarding a vast city within a valley. The city was obviously in Easton, as could be told from the presence of numerous stone heads across the land. Most of the people had fled to the underground shelters where the heavens could not reach them. Despite their relative safety, they knew that today might be their last. The legends always spoke of a woman who could smite even the most powerful empires. So many great kingdoms and armies had fallen solely because of her. Now, it would be their turn.

The being known as the Wanderer walked through the ruins of the city. Survivors were thankful that she did not bother with them. Soon, she reached one of the entrances to the shelters. Several of the stone guards had already fallen from the onslaught. She moved past them and down the long, dark trail of stairs. A few brave guards attempted to strike her down, but they were all defeated. Eventually, she reached main shelter.

The crowds were too petrified to even scream. There were humans, a few Toads, Nokobons, Chichibos, Pokotokos, and Bunbuns. In the dark rooms and halls, what little of her skin that could be seen seemed to give off a haunting glow. Most frightening of all, however, were her shining blue eyes, which could only barely be seen under her hood. No one dared to approach her, except a few ultimately doomed guards. It became evident that she was going straight for the Emperor's quarters. Once she left the civilian halls, they heard nothing but battle cries and screams, none of which were hers. People prayed for the safety of their leader, for he had conquered so many lands and brought them so much. And yet, the deathly silence of the Emperor's quarters revealed to them the horrible truth. The Wanderer walked out, no longer opposed at all. People only stared at her bloodstained cloak with quiet sobs as she exited the shelters.

* * *

"I see," Zelda said, choosing to break off the telepathic connection. It had only been a couple seconds, yet she saw so much in such a short amount of time. "You can end their hold on you by calling on your Shining Star. It worked last time."

"Peach isn't in control anymore, Zelda," Peach spoke, with wide empty eyes. "Her soul is ours now."

"What! Get out!" Zelda yelled.

"Or else you'll what? Kill her? You can't hurt us. We're already dead. But if you want to break her little neck, we won't stand in your way."

"You fiends!" Zelda growled, almost forgetting to stay low. "You can't punish someone for what their parents may or may _not_ have done. I won't let you."

"You can't trick us again like last time," Peach said, putting on an uncharacteristic grin.

"I don't think I need to," Zelda said, taking out the Star Piece and forcing her to swallow it. Peach coughed a bit.

"What was that supposed to do?" she said. "It was useless."

"This can't be…" Zelda said distraughtly. "I was sure it would work…"

"Well you thought wro…wron…" Peach lost her voice. Feeling the effects already, the ghosts made her push Zelda aside and attempt to stand up into the stream of daggers. Zelda tackled her and held her down. She managed to wrap her legs around Peach's neck, squeezing tightly, while locking Peach's legs into Zelda's arms. It was both a sleeper hold and a leg-lock. Eventually, Peach got dizzy and fainted. The ghosts all appeared around the two as Zelda released her. Inconveniently, the stream of blades had stopped.

"If we can't have her soul," King Boo said angrily, "we'll just have to clobber you both." Just then, Bandita and her band of Ninji hopped up through the hole.

"…Did we interrupt something?" Bandita asked nervously.

"Kinda," a Greaper said. "But I guess we could always have more punching bags."

"Hey, who's side are you on!" Bandita yelled. As the ghosts began to close in on them, Bandita fearfully muttered, "I wish Bolt were here."


	12. Ghost Assault

**Ghost Assault**

"Would you consider a temporary truce," Zelda asked, trying to quickly wake Peach.

"No way!" Bandita said. "We're elites. We can handle ourselves. Ninji, go!" The Ninji launched their shuriken, defeating the weaker ghosts such as the Boo Guys and the small Boos. The Eeries, who were unharmed, flew straight toward them. The Ninji leapt out of the way, leaving the Eeries to disappear into the wall.

Zelda focused on keeping up her shield until Peach would wake up. It would otherwise be impossible to defend her. This fact was illustrated when King Boo began to blow clouds of blue fire into her shield.

When some of the fire deflected off her shield and nearly into Bandita, the Bandit tackled the crowned Big Boo. King Boo tumbled away, but quickly stabilized himself. Bandita snickered, having just stolen a few coins from him.

"Hey, guys!" she called to the Ninji, while stomping on a Dry Bones. "They'll take care of the Princess. We don't need to be here anymore." She then hopped down a hole, with the Ninji following.

When they landed on the first floor, they found themselves surrounded by Shadows. These creatures were floating beings of pure darkness. Little more than their glowing yellow eyes were visible, but that was all it took for the 8-Bits members to realize they were horribly outnumbered once again. Fortunately, the Ninji had similar camouflage advantages in the dark, since they were also black. Only Bandita stood out.

"Okay, I'm getting tired of this," Bandita groaned. The Ninji leapt into action, fighting whichever Shadow they could spot. Bandita dashed through a Shadow, stealing more coins.

"Oh, no you don't…" the Shadow said. It dashed in front of her at blinding speed and created a bubble around her. "Here, have an Endo Bubble." She pounded on the bubble.

"Get me out of here!" she yelled. Suddenly, the small particles of darkness began to fill the bubble, flying into her masked face. "Hey! Ninji! HELP!" The Ninji were too busy taking on the surprisingly resilient Shadows. Unfortunately, the Shadows came in a seemingly endless tide. "Heeeeey! Someone! Help me!" she cried with increasing fear as everything began to turn dark.

"We're in it a little deep," a Ninji said to the one behind him. "Better call Bolt. You know what he'll do if something happens to her."

"Right."

Meanwhile, Zelda was still holding up her shield, despite the punishment it was taking. All the ghosts had resorted to magic. Zelda quickly learned they were much more dangerous when using spells. The Boos, who made somewhat disturbing faces to cast spells, repeatedly summoned thunderbolts. The Dry Bones summoned larger and more powerful bolts with Thunder. The Greapers alternated between summoning Blizzards and Lightning Orbs. King Boo continued to blow blue fire. All the while, Zelda stayed calm, knowing that worrying would only hinder her concentration.

* * *

Bolt ran across the battlefield, easily defeating every soldier that came at him. He had to admit that the Sarasaland army had come well prepared. Its air force frequently made bombing raids, while it had Giras being fired from afar. Their infantry units were the weakest part of their army however. Only a Chai soldier had any hope against a Giga Koopa in a one-on-one fight. Not even a Chai soldier, however posed a threat to Bolt. The inclusion of so many weaklings such as Toads, Chichibos, and Nokobons confounded Bolt.

His army, however, had focused more on artillery and machinery. There were constant barrages of Banzai and Bombshell Bills, as well as sniper-like Snifits in the hills. The Giga Koopas were the most vulnerable of any of his units, which was a good sign in his mind.

Only one person on the opposing force worried him, however. Geno's attacks were preventing his army from making any real headway. Bolt was determined to take him down. Winning the battle wasn't so important as getting rid of him once and for all. If Geno was trouble for Bowser, he would be trouble Bolt and others.

Eventually, he spotted the living toy in the middle of summoning brightly colored rays of light into his area, decimating every one of his enemies in the area. Bolt was just about to begin with a Flame Wall, but suddenly heard a beeping noise in his mask. He paused, standing out in the open as he listened.

"This is Black Star of Ninji Squad 7," the voice said, amongst a lot of background noise. "Requesting assistance."

"I'm in the middle of something," Bolt said, ready to switch off the line.

"Bandita is in serious danger," the Ninji said.

"What was that?"

"We're in the Forest of Illusion Ghost House, ergh! Hah! Too many ghosts… Ugh…We're not going to last much longer." Bolt sprinted to an area where he knew there was a Bullet Bill Blaster.

"I need a Smart Bill, rocket-propelled, now!" he yelled at the cannon. The cannon nearly jumped in place, but fired a Smart Bill into the sky. The Bill looped downward and Bolt grabbed on, directing it into the distance.

"He's retreating?" Geno said to himself. "That's a bit rash…"

* * *

"Zelda?" Peach said, coming to.

"Good. You're awake. Could you give me a hand?"

"…Right," Peach nodded, seeing the bombardment around them. "Shining Star! Help us fend off these evil spirits!" The Shining Star rose out of her and the shield. There was a bright flash and the ghosts all gave off a collective cry.

"Regroup, boys!" King Boo ordered. They all disappeared.

"That was close," Zelda sighed, letting her arms fall finally. She looked to Peach, who appeared very sullen. "Peach, everything you saw was a lie."

"But Zelda…they never get serious like that… They've never been the sort to come after anybody with the pure intent to kill."

"If it's not a lie, then how do you explain the bloodiness of those images?" Zelda asked. "You're the only one who has ever bled in this world. Furthermore, you did not bleed from wounds. You just vomited."

"…I guess you're right," Peach said unsurely.

"Now, let's get out of here," Zelda said. "If I blast a wall down, we should be able to jump down to the statue and finish up." Suddenly, they heard a scream.

"Help me! Anybody! Please!" It was Bandita's voice.

"It's just as well," Zelda said, preparing to blast away the nearest wall.

"We should help her," Peach said, standing up.

"Peach, she tried to kill you," Zelda said, frowning. "If they take care of her, it's one less thing for us to worry about."

Peach ignored her and peeked through a hole in the floor. She could see that all the ghosts had moved downstairs and were quickly wearing down the Ninji. Bandita was barely visible, being trapped in a black bubble.

"Peach, don't," Zelda said, grabbing her telekinetically. When Peach resisted, Zelda chose to let go rather than risk breaking her arm. Peach hopped down through the hole. "Bloody hell…"

Peach smacked away the nearest ghoul and then ground pounded on a Dry Bones. She healed an injured Ninji and sent her rear into a Shadow, burning it with the resulting explosion. She threw numerous turnips to keep the ghosts away. Eventually, she was knocked over by a Shadow. She hopped to her feet and destroyed it in three slaps. She spotted the Endo Bubble and began to cast her spell. A Lightning Orb disrupted her however. She shook off the electricity and struck the casting Greaper. When it attempted to retaliate with its sickle, she guarded with her gloves and smashed the ghost with her crown. A bone hit the back of her head, so she tossed a turnip behind her, managing to collapse the offending Dry Bones. She attempted a Mute spell, but was interrupted as a Boo literally appeared inside her face, stunning her momentarily. She was bowled over by a pair of Eeries, who continued all the way through the wall. She winced as a Greaper dug its sickle into her stomach, but she grabbed the handle and swung the Greaper around, sending it into a group of Boo Guys. She removed the sickle from her stomach and tossed it straight at King Boo, who teleported out of the way.

It had become obvious that there were too many ghosts to be able to cast any spells. As soon as she attempted to call the Shining Star, a Greaper appeared in front of her and sliced across her face, leaving a scar. She cried out in pain, but quickly dispatched it with a few slaps. A Boo Guy tumbled into her, tripping her up. She put up her guard as a flurry of bones began to pummel her. As soon as it was over, she got up, determined to reach the Endo Bubble where Bandita had stopped screaming. It was now just miserable sobbing.

Suddenly, a Boo appeared in front of Peach, screaming. Peach was startled enough to jump back and turn around. She was met with another screaming Boo. She ducked her head and covered her ears, attempting block out the noise. A Greaper appeared before her. She slowly looked up. Without warning, there were four of them surrounding her, removing their masks and flying at her. She closed her eyes in fear, but felt nothing. The Greaper was in its original spot, simply staring at her mockingly. Peach was literally shaking, but pressed on.

Two Greapers appeared, circling her quickly. One removed it's mask and Peach averted her eyes. The other Greaper was now in front of her face, attempting to slash her with its now gleaming Deathsickle, an attack that would kill her on the spot. Suddenly, a beam of light incinerated the Greaper. Zelda hopped down in front of Peach and began to blast more Shining Rays into the ghosts around her. The rays penetrated them quite effectively, burning them away.

"Zelda?" Peach said, stunned.

"I hate it when you do this," Zelda said irritably. "It's too late to turn back, now. Go and help her since we're stuck here." Peach smiled and moved to the Endo Bubble. A Shadow grabbed her legs through the floor. Despite this, Peach successfully broke the bubble with Mute. Bandita was hunched over in a fetal position, tears rolling down her mask.

"You came to save me?" she asked meekly.

"Yes," Peach said.

"Why?"

"Because…Ah!" A Shadow literally reached through her body, stinging her soul. She smacked it hard, destroying it. She immediately fell to one knee, feeling drained. "I've been in one of those things before. I know how horrible those things can be."

A Ninji threw a dagger at the Shadow hands holding Peach's ankles. "We're gonners if we don't get out." He hopped over a Dry Bones and knocked out a Boo, but was hit by a Lightning Orb.

Zelda flipped over a jet of flames coming from King Boo. She maneuvered over to Peach. "Well, I see you've completed your good deed for the day. It's too bad we won't see another day at this rate."

"Shining Sta…" Peach began before they were all engulfed in another belch of blue fire. Once it subsided, Peach fell to her knees. Zelda winced a bit. Bandita was on the floor, but still conscious. Despite the burning sensation, it did not physically burn them. It left them feeling painfully drained however, as if the attack had affected their spirits rather than their bodies. Zelda quickly put up her shield.

"Try it now!" Zelda said.

"Shining…" Peach began again. A Boo floated from beneath the floor and into her body. "Not again…" She began to shake again, struggling to stay in control.

"Give up!" King Boo bellowed, blowing more fire.

The shield finally faded away. Bandita exclaimed, "What are you doing? Put that back up!"

"Too many Shining Rays…" Zelda panted.

"Shi…ning…" Peach struggled to say. Greapers blasted her with Lightning Orbs.

The Boo flew out of her, yelling, "Hey, I was in there!"

"Forget the soul-stealing, boys!" King Boo said. "Scare 'em to death and tear 'em to shreds!"

"Greapers, Boo Guys!" Bandita said. "Why are you helping them? You're part of the Club, remember!"

"We're a little before your time," a Boo Guy replied, approaching her. "Don't worry. You'll be joining us soon enough. Guys, let's make this a little closer to home, shall we?" Two Boo Guys held onto Bandita. When she began to struggle, more Boo Guys appeared to restrain her. A Fishin' Boo, essentially a ghostly Lakitu, appeared above her and restrained her with the line of its pole.

"Help!"

Three Ninji jumped out of the swarm of ghosts to help, but they were blown away by a Greaper's Blizzard. As Zelda stood up, Boos began to fly through her, knocking her about. She soon took out the Master Sword and slashed every ghost in sight. Three Glum Reapers came to confront her. They wore grey-blue rags instead of the beige that Greapers wore and they had small scythes instead of sickles. They used their weapons to counter Zelda's sword.

"Zelda…" Peach moaned, struggling to get up as a Shadow began to strangle her. The Shadow would not let her warn Zelda about the danger of the Glum Reapers. The Glum Reapers were better able to dodge, using quick dashes that left brief blurs behind them. Zelda could feel their power in the strikes she had to block.

"Scythe!" they all said.

"Move!" Peach said, breaking away from the Shadow and tackling Zelda aside. Their blades brieflyleft slash marks in the air. Peach then rushed into the nearest Reaper and smacked it until it burst into stardust. She blocked two strikes and was about to retaliate until a Greaper slashed her in the back. Zelda grabbed onto its rags and stabbed through them. The Greaper disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Aaaaah!" Bandita screamed. Peach turned and saw Boo Guys and Greapers removing their masks in front of her. Peach sprinted over, but was confronted by a Glum Reaper that had teleported in front of her. She pushed it out of the way, but it sliced her back. Now, the Greapers were beginning to remove Bandita's mask. Despite the wounds Peach was receiving by ignoring everything else, she managed to reach Bandita and held her mask in place. She held her close, shielding her from the sight of the unmasked Greapers and Boo Guys.

"What are you?" Zelda asked, horrified as the Glum Reapers in front of her removed their masks.

"Don't look, Zelda!" Peach yelled, holding the sobbing Bandit tightly. Zelda broke her gaze and turned away to move toward Peach. She cut the Fishin' Boo's line and slashed the Boo Guys and Greapers away.

"They just keep coming," Zelda said, amazed and frightened all at once.

"Ha, ha, ha!" King Boo laughed, having been watching the whole time. "That's the beauty of being dead. When we're defeated, we only go away for a little while. Then, we're back for more."

"Are the Ninji okay?" Bandita whimpered.

"You'll be joining them soon," the Fishin' Boo said from above.

"Shining…Ugh!" Peach yelped as she was slashed in the back once again by a Glum Reaper, which was quickly knocked away by Zelda's sword.

"Don't bother anymore, Peach," Zelda said, stepping closer to her, while fending off any ghosts that got too close. "They'll just teleport to attack you."

"Can't you?" Peach asked, wincing.

"I have just enough magic to teleport myself," Zelda smiled grimly. "But if I wanted to leave you, I would have done it on Isle Delfino." Then, Zelda saw a Glum Reaper performing a painfully familiar attack: Willy Wisp. The red energy ball sunk through the floor. Zelda turned around as Peach and Bandita were caught in the column of energy, getting blown across the floor once the energy ball hit them. Even so, Peach held onto Bandita tightly.

Zelda swiped at the Glum Reaper, but it teleported behind her and slashed her back. Just as she got up, a Dry Bones bashed a bone over the back of her head, knocking her out. Then, all the ghosts converged on Peach and Bandita.

Suddenly, something crashed through the window. A Smart Bill exploded onto King Boo, knocking him through the wall. Bolt landed and clenched his fist as his eyes glowed bright yellow. "What's going on here?"

"Get 'em!" King Boo yelled angrily. The ghosts all turned toward Bolt, who spotted Peach and Bandita lying worrisomely still. He could see that Zelda was still at least breathing though. Every ghost was beginning to cast a spell of some sort

"Fools…" Bolt said angrily. Electricity crackled around him and a fiery aura overtook him.

* * *

Peach woke up with a start. She looked around and found herself outside in the front yard. It was apparently the late afternoon, since the sky was turning orange. Zelda was beginning to stir as well. Bandita appeared to still be unconscious, though it was hard to tell since her mask had a default state that kept her "eyes" open and her "mouth" smirking. Peach looked back to the house, but saw a smoldering ruin in its place. There were still a few small fires within the wreckage. She wondered what had happened. She quickly remembered that she was injured, already feeling tired again. She felt the scar on her face, but was thankful that it was not bleeding, as it would have in Hyrule. She knew those weren't the only scars she had though. She felt cuts all over her back and another sharp pain in her stomach. Once again, she had been stabbed there.

She cast her Group Hug to heal Zelda, Bandita, and herself, erasing the scars. Zelda sat up and looked around bewilderedly. Bandita merely opened her eyes, but lay on the ground.

"Bandita, are you okay?" Peach asked.

"Fine," she replied distantly, still with her default state on her mask. "Thanks." She stood up and looked into the forest, then towards the house.

"How did we end up out here?" Zelda asked.

"I thought you did it," Peach said.

"I did," Bolt said, walking from around the Wanderer statue, the only piece of the house intact. Peach and Zelda moved back instinctively while Bandita hung her head low. She slowly approached him. She sighed and stood up straight to salute.

"I'm sorry, sir," Bandita said.

"Why did you purposely ignore my orders?" Bolt asked intimidatingly. "I told you to stay at the fortress, not take a troupe of Ninji out here and wait for Peach and Zelda."

"I know, sir," Bandita said shamefully.

"I just spent the past hour makinggraves for those Ninji," Bolt said. "Those elites were irreplaceable. They spent their lives trying to help you. And what's more, you put yourself in danger just confronting these two."

"I'm sorry, sir," Bandita said, trying not to cry. Her expression finally became that of a frown. "I was just trying to help…"

"You could have helped more by doing what I told you to do," Bolt said. "I was on the verge of confronting Geno, the only real threat in that whole pathetic army. While you were napping, I just got word that we lost completely. Geno was the sole reason they won."

"I'm sorry, Bolt!" Bandita cried, looking down. "Smiley said they were coming here and I just wanted to impress you and…"

"I'm stripping you of your rank and recommending you for suspension from duty," Bolt said. "What you did was unacceptable. Is that understood?"

"…Maybe you should have just left me…" Bandita said.

"Maybe," he said, looking back to the house. "It's just too bad I love you." Somehow, Bandita blushed through her mask, but she still looked deeply saddened.

"Yeah," she said, smiling slightly.

"Peach," Bolt said, still with his back to her.

"Yes?" Peach said cautiously.

"Thank you for taking care of her, despite the circumstances," he said. "I appreciate it."

"You're…welcome," she said nervously, looking at the smoldering ruin he was facing. "The ghosts… They showed me…"

"Just illusions," Bolt said. "Nothing to take to heart. You don't have to worry about King Boo for a good while. Bandita."

"Right," Bandita said, standing beside him.

As they walked out of the clearing, Bolt said to them, "Geno will come to pick you up soon. I trust you can take care of yourselves until then?"

"Yeah," Peach said, glancing at Zelda. Both were a little thrown by his passive attitude.

"Good."

"Um, Bolt…" Peach said, prompting him to stop. "I…I can resurrect those Ninji…"

"Peach…" Zelda cautioned her.

"You're a nice person, Peach," Bolt said. "But your kindheartedness borders on stupidity. If you revive those Ninji, they'll kill you on the spot. You can't save all your enemies. That goes for Bowser as well." With that said, he walked away with Bandita, who took his arm affectionately. Peach was upset by his words.

"So, he has a soft spot for her," Zelda commented. "She didn't seem terribly surprised."

"I think they were already involved," Peach smiled. "He's not so bad after all."

"Whatever," Zelda said, standing up. "We have one more thing left to do."

Peach looked to the statue and then back. "Go ahead."

"I'm going to need you, too."

"I can't read any of that. Besides, you have the Star Piece."

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do. I gave it to you, remember?"

"When you were possessed after seeing those images, I made you swallow it to exorcize you."

"…You're joking," Peach said, glowering at her.

Zelda pulled Peach up and pulled her over to the statue. Peach sighed and stepped into the fountain. The statue rumbled. It bent down, seemingly presenting the star statue to her. A panel opened on the star. Peach pulled out a scroll and handed it to Zelda.

"Let's see," Zelda said. "It says, 'Hero to some, villain to others. Her presence waxes and wanes like the moon and sun. To break her Oath to Order would be a curse upon herself; doomed to the graveyard of the stars, like her bastard daughter.' That's awfully more vague than the last one. Do you understand any of it?"

"Not really," Peach said uncomfortably. "Except maybe the part about the…illegitimate daughter."

"We can't confirm anything about this, Peach," Zelda said, helping her out of the water. "We'll have to get in touch with a Shaman."


	13. A Side Quest

**A Side Quest**

"That's quite a story," Geno said, as he and the princesses rode in a transport ship. His cape was tattered and his hat had holes in it. He had many scratches in his plastic skin. "It's nice to hear that our enemies aren't all completely evil."

"Can you make anything of the riddle?" Zelda asked. "The 'Oath to Order' part rings a bell to me."

"The Oath to Order is a melodic oath made by non-mortals," Geno said. "It probably rings a bell because Link used it to summon the Four Giants of Termina while he was away from Hyrule. He literally stopped the moon from falling out of the sky. Needless to say, he earned quite a bit of attention from the upper-levels."

"I remember that," Zelda said thoughtfully. "That was the strangest quest he told me…"

"Anyway, the Oath to Order is ancient, even by my standards," Geno said.

"How old are you, Geno?" Peach asked curiously.

"Well, I'm…hmm… Come to think of it, I don't know."

"How can you not know your own age?" Zelda asked.

"I suppose after a few hundred years I just stopped counting," he shrugged. "But the Oath to Order is millennia old. It's so sacred, only a few miserable demons are foolish enough to knowingly break it. But…I've heard stories about more righteous persons who inadvertently broke it."

"And the curse?" Zelda asked. "It mentioned a graveyard of stars."

"You should probably just ignore that. For a star, a 'graveyard' could be anything, anywhere, or even anyone. It's an incredibly general phrase since a star can fall anywhere on the planet. As for the curse of breaking the Oath, it depends. If someone were to just disregard it, they would probably just go to Hell or some other unpleasant prison. Deities, however, would simply lose their divinity, which in many respects is little more than a slap on the hands. They lose immortality and some power, but that's it. As for innocent breaches, the offender chooses their own punishment, which is then approved by a peer or superior. In my case, it would be one of the Star Spirits."

"So, is she in Hell?" Peach asked with a hint of bitterness. She was not looking at him, instead staring straight ahead.

Geno raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Uh…I…doubt it. I mean, I never met the Wanderer, but…Well, I really can't say anything about her. She never came into my jurisdiction."

"Hm," Peach nodded. "The riddle also mentioned the grave of an illegitimate daughter."

"I definitely wouldn't know anything about that," Geno shook his head. "The Stork works on a completely different system from the stars."

"So, it _is_ real…" Zelda muttered. "Um, Geno. A previous riddle mentioned contacting a 'Faceless One' should we have any problems deciphering them. Am I correct in assuming it is referring to the Shamans."

"Most likely," he said. "I doubt it will be easy to find them though."

"Merlow and Merle are in Starborn Valley," Peach said.

"They won't do us much good," Geno said. "Merlow is too young for any useful magic. Merle has his hands full raising the Star Kids. And since the Star Road is in shambles, they'll likely be building in number there. Let me call this in and see what I can do." Geno walked into the pilot's cabin and got on the radio. A moment later he returned with a somewhat grim face.

"What is it?" Zelda asked.

"Apparently, the enemy made a big move in the Western Sea, just a few dozen miles away from Rogueport. Jinx and the other soldiers handled it well for the most part, but it was apparently just a distraction. One of the Shamans hiding in Rogueport was kidnapped. It was a Shaman named Merlee."

"Where is she now?" Peach asked worriedly.

"Apparently, she's being taken to Land's End for 'reeducation,'" Geno frowned. "I'm afraid I'm still needed here, in Dinosaur Land. However, if you don't mind risking your lives yet again, we can have you in Land's End quickly."

"How long ago did all of this happen?" Zelda asked.

"Last night," Geno frowned. "No one found out until a short while ago."

"Then, we need to hurry!" Peach said urgently.

"Hold on, Peach," Zelda said. "We've been busy all day. Don't you think we ought to rest up first?"

"I agree," Geno said. "You won't be in much condition to fight. You know how dangerous Land's End is. You need at least a full night's sleep."

"Fine," Peach relented. "But we still need to be quick about all of this… Where are we going anyway?"

"We may have just won a battle, but you and Zelda are targets too tempting for us to risk," Geno said. "We'll take you to Isle Delfino. There's an entire naval fleet stationed there and the island is well guarded. You should be able to relax a bit."

"There's no time to relax," Peach sighed. "Just to rest."

* * *

Peach and Zelda had taken a room in Hotel Delfino, each lying in their own bed. Zelda had fallen fast asleep, but once again Peach was being plagued by her thoughts. She eventually got up and exited the room, wandering about the hotel aimlessly in the leaf skirt and pink top she had left at the hotel months ago. She had a late night snack at the fruit stand in the lobby, but she still didn't feel like sleeping, so she walked outside to look at the stars. 

It was slightly cool outside, but not to a bothersome degree. Winter, as she knew it, did not exist here in the tropics. She could easily see the stars sparkling in the clear night sky. She walked all the way to the sandy beach barefoot. As she stared, her thoughts intensified. How could her mother have been so horrible? Why wasn't she around any longer? Was Mario okay? What happened to Bowser? Why did Sheik leave? She missed Sheik. She missed Mario. She missed the old Bowser. She even missed her mother, despite all that she had apparently done.

As she began to silently cry, she cupped her hands and prayed to the stars.

"They can't hear you, you know," a voice said from behind her.

She turned and saw that it was Geno. "Aren't you supposed to be in Dinosaur Land?" she asked.

"I was," he said, handing her a tissue. "But just before I was about to leave, I was told that Drow and Morel escaped. Consider me…extra security."

"Hmm," Peach smiled, wiping away her tears. "I'm kind of glad."

"Really?" Geno said, somewhat surprised.

"They're actually pretty nice," Peach said. "They both turned themselves in for me."

"Interesting," Geno said as they both looked up to the stars.

"You said they can't hear me?"

"Star Haven was wiped out, remember?" Geno said.

"Oh…right," Peach said sadly.

"Sorry. Sometimes I forget how much you've been through. A lot of people missing from your life…like Mario, old Big Oaf Bowser…"

"And Sheik," Peach said with a small blush as she looked out at the sea.

"Hmm? Isn't he with Zelda?"

"Not anymore. He left. I think it was because of what we did after drinking too much." Geno made a sideward glance at her. "I found out a little later in Hyrule that he's in love with me…" As she said this with a blush, Geno also looked out into the sea.

"Geno?" she asked.

"Yes?"

"I know this is probably a weird question for a little star like you, but…have you ever been in love?"

"Yes," he said simply.

"Was the other person in love with you?"

"I doubt it."

"What makes you say that?" Peach asked, looking at him directly. "Didn't you at least ask or something?"

"No," Geno said in a voice that was deadpan even for someone like him. "I always had the feeling that she was more interested in another person. Everyone else seemed to notice the same thing. Furthermore, it wasn't as if I was the only person to feel that way about her. Even now, there are others who have feelings for her. I doubt I would have stood much of a chance."

"Don't sell yourself short," Peach giggled slightly. "I've seen your true form before, remember? You may be a tiny star, but you've got a lot of power for such a little guy. And you're kind of cute, too."

"Thank you."

"So, what star is she?" Peach asked looking up into the sky. "I'm sure I can pray for you. You know, like a voucher."

"I don't think that's necessary," Geno said, smiling slightly.

"Come on, Geno," Peach insisted. "Does she have a name? Or at least one I can pronounce that's not like your real name."

"Her name is nowhere near as difficult as mine," Geno said.

"Then, what is it?" Peach asked. "Stella? Staria, Astra, or Star? Out with it."

"Peach."

"Hmm?"

"Her name is Peach."

"You mean a star has the same name as me?" she asked.

"She's not a star, at least not literally. She's you," he said.

"Oh…" Peach said, at a loss for words. "Why me?"

"I think Drow and Sheik did an adequate job of explaining your admirable qualities. Beauty, purity, friendliness, a willingness to fight; the list goes on. My reasons weren't much different from Sheik's."

"Weren't?"

"This was all back when I first met you," Geno explained. "I like to think that it wasn't pure infatuation, but I've since managed to move on."

"…I'm sorry," Peach said. "If I had known…"

"Well, now you do," he smiled. "I'm perfectly happy with my place as a friend. Besides, a relationship with you beyond that would be rather awkward considering my position."

"Yeah…" she said, feeling awkward herself. "Why are you out here so late?"

"Late night research," he said, signaling her to follow him back to one of the pools. He walked to a pool chair with a laptop on it and opened it. "I've been looking over a copy of the data you and Zelda recovered."

"You mean the secret weapon?"

"They call it the Death Metal after its primary metal casing, though that seems more like a music genre than anything else. The most worrisome element isn't what it does, but rather what it's made of. The key ingredient is a substance known as Dark Matter." He enlarged an image of the substance. It was a blackish-purple mineral-like substance that gave off a black luster.

"Dark Matter?"

"It's something that isn't normally found in large quantities," Geno said. "It's most toxic against beings affiliated with light like you and I. According to this file, the location of its source was never revealed by the provider, Drow. However, their agents discovered small amounts of Death Metal ore, or necromantium, lined throughout the Shadow Temple."

"That explains a lot," Peach said. "I felt terrible in that place."

"That's not the only data included here, either," Geno said, returning to the outline. "There's apparently a program being started to 'convert opposing forces into willing soldiers/experiments.' I'm sure you've already seen what they did to the Yoshies, right?"

"Yes…"

"They're planning to do the same thing with other beings like Zoras, Hylians, and even Toads, among other creatures. They may have already completed some of it, considering that this was last updated about two months ago."

"That's terrible!" Peach gasped. "We already lost so many Toads when my father ruled."

"Yes, the Great Abandonment," Geno noted. "The greatest rise in Goomba populations recorded in history all because of the massive discontent of Toads."

"My father just isn't bright enough to handle a kingdom on his own," Peach explained. "It isn't his fault. If only she hadn't left like that…" Geno noticed an incredibly sullen look on her face.

"The disk also had data about Royal Pain," Geno said, clicking away. "Both Drow and Morel are more dangerous than they let you and Zelda think. Check out Drow's move list."

Peach leaned forward and read along the list. "'Nayru's Lust… An energy shield based on Zelda's Nayru's Love spell, but with greater durability, wider range potential, and ability to absorb energy attacks to restore magic power… Din's Inferno…Multiple fireball attack or massive fireball shield… Farore's Sigh… High-speed teleportation; has no offensive capability as Zelda's Farore's Wind, but is capable of traversing dimensions.'"

"That's how they were able to zap back and forth between here and Hyrule so often," Geno said. "And her Eyes of Deceit are what let her use a form of mind control. She was likely the one using psychic suggestion to get the Sages even more riled up, as well as giving Zelda nightmares."

"Let me see Morel," Peach said. Two clicks later, the window opened to her clone. "Why did Bowser make a clone of us anyway?"

"Covert operations," Geno said, scrolling to and reading off the appropriate explanations. "'Like Drow, Morel's purpose is to go behind enemy lines and act as Peach so that she may possibly learn enemy strategies, bases, and other sensitive information…On a long-term basis, they may be used as figureheads that will be able to replace both Zelda and Peach in their own respective lands. It is hoped that this strategy will lessen the need for our forces to quell rebellions… Morel is the genetic clone of fugitive monarch Queen Peach Koopa, formerly Princess Toadstool. Her sync ratio with Peach is approximately 79.879 percent. Though she does exhibit worrisomely different behavior from her original, her obedience and skill is exceptional… Excellent close-combat fighter…excels in grappling, brawling, swordsmanship…has proven useful as a coercive agent capable of extracting information from enemy personnel, though her methods are markedly out of line with Peach's identity.'"

"What do they mean?" Peach asked.

"Her so-called 'coercive' methods usually involve some form of seduction."

"Eww…But isn't she with Drow?"

"'Her unusual relationship with Drow may hinder or help future plans, depending on circumstances…but they make an effective, obedient team. Especially useful are Morel's Peach-based attacks. She is able to cast them without notice, giving off little energy and no aura. Though she is able to cast them at a distance, her preference of kissing her target makes her magic seem subtler. There are two main exceptions to this…Her explosive attacks incorporate a variety of bombs, using only 1 FP per palm-sized bomb rather than Peach's 15 FP attack… The other exception is unique to Morel and not based on any of Peach's abilities. It is a form of energy siphoning…that allows her to drain her target of HP/FP and add it to her own. According to Magikoopa technicians, she will eventually be able to steal the very soul of her target.' In other words, Peach, she might end up being the most dangerous of the two."

"Is there anything on there about Bolt?" Peach asked.

"I'll check… Here's something. 'Supposedly the last remaining Zeus Guy…doubtful, though no other living subjects are known. One of the mercenary commanders hired to our cause after paying the 8-Bits Club… Extremely powerful…supposedly trained by Jinx… His magic attacks are primarily composed of electricity and fire. His trademark attacks are improved versions of traditional Zeus Guy 16-Bit Blasts… All personnel are to show extreme caution around Bolt…Class-A Boss…Main strength is pure resilience, another trait of the Zeus Guys… A fan of Metaknight, according to an anonymous Bandit.'"

"Is that it?"

"Pretty much," Geno said. "Why? I doubt you'll run into him again while I'm attacking his stronghold."

"I know that Zeus Guys are rare, but…why?" Peach asked. "What happened to all of them?"

"I think that's enough for tonight," Geno said quickly, closing the laptop.

"Geno, stop," Peach said sternly. "Answer my question."

"Battles and wars," Geno said, not looking directly at her. "The 8-Bits Club is just a mercenary group, you know."

"Why do I have the feeling you're purposely hiding something from me?" Peach frowned. "I thought we were friends."

Geno sighed. "All right… The Zeus Guys, Bandits, and Baseball Boys were essentially the elites of the 8-Bits Club. Years before you were born, the Dread King Morton Koopa hired a great deal of them for his campaigns against the Mushroom Kingdom, with Zeus Guys being the most numerous. While the Bandits and Baseball Boys terrorized the countryside, the Zeus Guys were primarily used as sentinels for castles and other fortifications. Everything was going fine for him at the time. The Bandits were looting loads of valuables. The Zeus Guys made every stronghold unapproachable. The Baseball Boys were a general nuisance."

"So, what happened?"

"The Wanderer," Geno said uneasily. "She struck down a particularly large number of Bandits and Shy Guys in Forever Forest and Gusty Gulch. The Baseball Boys, who had also gotten hit hard, generally retreated to Yoshi's Island. When she went into the Dark Land, there was supposedly an army of Zeus Guys waiting for her. After that catastrophe and the demise of Morton, the few remaining Zeus Guys were transferred to Yoshi's Island, where Bowser had been taken for safety. Ever since then, the 8-Bits Club has mostly stayed either on the island or in Sub Con."

"So…she killed them," Peach said blankly. "And all those Boos in Forever Forest and Gusty Gulch…like Bow."

"Peach, are you okay?"

"Fine. Just fine."

"Maybe you should try to get some sleep now…Try out your Sleepy Time if you have any trouble."

"Yes. I'll do that."


	14. The Other Boos

**The Other Boos**

Peach and Zelda were beamed down into southern edge of Land's End by the Sarasaland Saucer overhead. Both were in gray cloaks similar to those of the Shamans, but they still wore their camouflaged clothing underneath. The area was full of cliffs and there was little vegetation around. In fact the only plant life besides stray strands of grass were the massive artichokes to be found occasionally.

"Okay, Peach," Zelda said, looking around the rugged area. "We're going to have to take it slow so as not to…"

"Follow me," Peach said, taking off.

"Wait!"

Peach hopped up the small cliffs easily, while Zelda had to use her Sheikah skill to keep up. She saw Peach hop into a strange, brightly colored cannon that was shaped like a pot with eyes. "Get in!" Peach yelled. Zelda hurriedly clambered inside. Once it fired, they were launched up to the highest cliff before them. Zelda wobbled a bit as they both landed on their feet.

"What in Din's…" Before she could regain her bearings, Peach grabbed her by her arm and ran into the next area. There was a narrow cliff, crawlingwith orange, swirly-eyed Geckits. They were being fired out of small pot cannons at the base of the cliff, mindlessly taking turns with other Geckits. Peach did not slow down, instead speeding up to jump over the small gaps in the cliff, while dodging any incoming Geckits. She chucked a Psych Bomb down to the cannons, whiping them all out and stopping the shower of Geckits.

"Don't you think you're being a bit drastic?" Zelda cried. Once they were out of the rugged area, they were in a place with large rotating flowers and human-sized bees called Stingers collecting pollen. The stairway of cliffs would require a great deal of climbing. As Peach aimed to jump onto one of the flowers with a bee on it, Zelda yelled out, "Peach, hold on!"

Peach turned around in midair and bum-bounced off the Stinger, incinerating it in the resulting explosion. Without even touching the ground, she caught herself and floated to the flower.

"Are you okay?" Zelda asked, now very worried about her friend. Peach had a very determined look on her face as they slowly rotated toward the cliff. She held Zelda close, seeming to hug her. "Peach?" Suddenly, they sprung off the flower and to the next step of cliffs, where another Stinger was tending to a flower. Peach destroyed it in a similar fashion and repeated the process until she was at the top of the cliff. She pulled Zelda along and hopped down the other side.

"Whoa!" a startled Shaman exclaimed. He jumped off the cliff and floated to a twin cliff on the other side. Peach placed Zelda on her back and floated off after him. He shrieked at the sight and ran. Once Peach touched down, she chased him into the desert.

She saw him jump into a whirlpool of sand and finally slowed to a stop as he disappeared into it.

"Oh, good," Zelda sighed. "For a moment, I thought you were going to jump in after him." Peach slowly approached the whirlpool, but the helmeted head of a giant ant, a Shogun, peered out. Peach stepped on the edge of the whirlpool and the ant popped out completely to challenge her. Peach hopped back and the Shogun hopped back into the whirlpool.

"No, Peach! Don't do it!" Peach dived into the whirlpool, taking Zelda with her. They soon popped out of another whirlpool in some other part of the desert. Zelda was clinging to Peach frightfully. There were plenty of enemies around, many of which Zelda had never seen before. There were plant monsters that looked like giant white-petal tulips with red lips. There were a few more Stingers wandering about in the shade of scattered palm trees. There were also giant tarantulas, seemingly mechanical dog-like creatures with glowing eyes, and large purple creatures that looked similar to Octoroks, but were held up by strings connected to purple, bat-winged Koopa shells. Before she could take in the full view, Peach had taken them into another whirlpool.

This time, they dropped down into adark cavern of sorts. There were Geckits and other creatures all around. The Shaman was nowhere in sight.

"Peach, he's gone," Zelda said. Peach finally let her down. Then, she jumped and floated around a corner and behind a stack of crates.

"Hey! Let me go!" someone cried out.

"Where's Merlee!" Peach yelled.

"I don't know what you're talking about, lady!" Zelda climbed down the uneven terrain and went behind the crates. Peach held a Shaman by his jewel of a brooch.

"That might not be the one we're looking for," Zelda said. "Identify yourself."

"I'm just a merchant!" he insisted, still struggling with Peach.

"Interesting place to sell things," Zelda said, looking around the corner at all the monsters about.

"I made a lot of money a while ago when Smithy invaded," he said, pulling away from Peach. "_The _Super Mario and his friends came through here and bought some pretty pricey… Hey, wait a minute… Aren't you Toadstool?"

"Yes," Peach said, still aggravated.

"I resupplied," he said somewhat giddily. "I've got a Starman with your name on it and it's yours for the low price of just 500 coins."

"No thank you," Zelda said quickly. "Now, have you seen another Shaman come through here?"

"Who wants to know?" he asked suspiciously.

"My friend's been captured by Bowser's army," Peach answered. "I heard she was taken to Land's End for reeducating. We need to hurry, so please don't waste our time."

"Oh, that… They've been doing that sort of thing a lot around here lately…"

"Then, you knowwhere she is?"

"Sort of. They've probably taken her to Nimbus Land by now," he said.

"Wasn't that another place that Bowser conquered?" Zelda asked.

The Shaman threw down a potion, creating a red door. "Come on. I'll take you to some people who can help you."

After walking through the door, they found themselves in a casino. The walls were crafted out of mahogany and the floor had gold and green tiling. There were rows of slot machines, various card tables, and many people about. It was conspicuous to say the least, but Peach found the setting familiar.

"Is this Grate Guy's Casino?" Peach asked.

"Yep," the Shaman replied. "Thanks to you, Mario, and the others, he got enough money to expand the place. And he pays us tobring people here. Needless to say, business has been great."

"About thepeople who can help us…" Zelda reminded him.

"Oh yeah. Sorry. Just ask one of the staff for a marshmallow sundae. I'll be heading back, now."

"What's your name?" Peach asked. "Just so I don't attack you again…"

"The name's Merlowe," he said. Peach was surprised to hear the name.

"That's the same name as Merlon's grandson," she said.

"Which one?" he asked. "The thing about Shamans is that we're traditionally named by our profession. Merlowe's are usually star collectors, so I guess I have some competition in the Mushroom Kingdom."

"Wait a minute," Zelda said. "If that's true, couldn't it be possible that the Merlee we're going after could be a complete stranger?"

"Probably," he shrugged. "See ya." He walked back through the door, which disappeared soon after.

"It doesn't matter now, Zelda," Peach reasoned. "We've come this far. We might as well go all the way. This Merlee can't be the only victim." They waded through the sea of diverse customers and attendants. Eventually, they came across a particularly peeved-looking turquoise Boo attendant, presumably female judging from the long eyelashes and eye shadow. She wore white bunny ears and gloves, despite not having any fingers, and held a tray with drinks on it. Peach and Zelda decided to pass her by since she did not seem to be in a proper mood.

"Hey!" shecalled out, reappearing in front of them. "You look like you need something, Princess." She had a constant scowl on her face.

Peach looked around nervously. "Um…okay. Do you have a marshmallow sundae?"

The Boo raised an eyebrow. "Are you serious? Okay, follow me." They followed her through the room until they reached a wall, except that she floated right through without stopping. The princesses touched the wall, making sure that it was real. Suddenly, they fell through the floor.

They plopped down into a dank dungeon-esque setting, with a row of pipes on one wall up a few steps. There were also pipes in each corner. The Boo faded into existence in front of them. "Well, this is it, Peach. I hope you know what you're getting yourself into. Just wait until the others get here."

"You too?" Peach asked in an upset tone.

"Huh?"

"You want to hurt her too?" Zelda asked guardedly.

"Maybe this will help," the Boo said, disappearing once again. When she reappeared, she had gotten rid of her bunny ears and gloves. Instead, she wore two red ribbons at the sides of her head.

"Bow?"

"Yep," she said. "The rest of you! Come on out and give her a warm welcome!" The room quickly filled with Boos, some of which were yellowish-brown.

"Oh, no…" Peach frowned.

"Stay back!" Zelda yelled, taking out her Gilded Sword. "I don't care what her mother may or may not have done! You're not taking it out on Peach!"

Bow sneered with annoyance and disappeared. She reappeared in front of Zelda and proceeded to smack and backhand her repeatedly. By the time she stopped, Zelda was too dazed to do anything useful. Then, Bow turned to Peach, still with that perpetual look of annoyance.

"Bow, I'm sorry!" Peach said, backing away fearfully as the ghost approached, though she was soon against the wall. "You didn't deserve this. None of you did. I don't know why my mother would want to kill so many people…so many innocent people. Even still, revenge isn't going to help anything, especially if you take it out on me. King Boo tried it yesterday and everyone knows he's no good. I know you're better than him. All of you are. You may play pranks from time to time, but you aren't cold-blooded killers."

"Everyone, give us a moment," Bow said, ordering them all to leave. She turned her back on Peach, seeming troubled. "You know, Peach, you have a point. I am better than that old fool. But dying is something that everyone of us went through…" She seemed to be quietly sobbing.

"Bow…" Peach said sympathetically reaching out to her.

Bow turned around, covering her face. "But Peach…there's something that you need to remember too…"

"What's that?"

Bow revealed her now monstrously large face, with a humongous tongue sticking out, and demonically long fangs and bellowed, "EVEN YOU HAVE TO DIE SOME DAY!"

Peach shrieked and turned around, running straight into the wall. She was dazed for only a second, quickly hunkering down and cowering with her face buried in her arms. "Please no! Don't hurt me! I'm sorry!"

"Ho, ho, ho, ho ho!" Bow laughed, now back to normal and fanning herself with a pink, feathery fan.

"Good one, Lady Bow!" one of the invisible Boos cackled.

"Huh?" Peach had a look of confusion.

"Just a prank," Bow smiled with a wink. "When you started going on about that whole revenge thing, I couldn't pass up the chance to give you the perfect scare! It was marvelous! I had you cowering like a scared little girl."

"So…you're not going to kill me?" Peach asked.

"Or…steal her soul?" Zelda asked in a dazed voice.

"Of course not," Bow chuckled. "What would I do with something like that?"

"So…you're not mad that my mother killed all of you?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Bow said, putting away her fan.

"King Boo said that the Wanderer was responsible for the number of so many ghosts," Zelda explained.

"I certainly didn't know anything about that," Bow said. "But then, the idiot might just be making it up."

"So, she didn't kill you?" Peach asked.

"No," Bow said. Then, she reconsidered her answer. "Actually, I'm not really sure how I died…if I was ever alive anyway. I've been a Boo as long as I can remember."

"Was the slapping really necessary?" Zelda asked, rubbing her cheek.

"You asked for it," Bow said, regaining her annoyed appearance. "Anyway, on to business. We hold our meeting here, under Bean Valley. The Shamans in Land's End are trustworthy enough, but the ones in Nimbus Land have been scouring the area a lot lately. Grate Guy let us use his place as a cover…after we paid him of course, the cheap prick."

"I don't get it," Peach said, frowning. "What are you doing way out here? The Mushroom Kingdom is on the other side of the continent."

"There's actually a convenient string of warp pipes that link this area to the Mushroom Kingdom. We had to leave when King Boo took over my mansion. I may be a Boo princess, but he has more people to back him."

"You're a princess too?" Zelda asked.

"Yep," Bow said with a small smile. "My territory is from Forever Forest to Gusty Gulch, both of which are just east of Toad Town. For some reason, Bowser's troops haven't been in Toad Town since their attack."

"We noticed," Peach said. "You'd think they would occupy my capital."

"Yeah, but they sure do have all the other places covered pretty well," Bow said. "For instance, this is the only secure underground area inBean Valley. Toad Town Tunnels is swarming with Bowser's thugs, so we have to be careful every time we travel, even if it's underground. The Pipe Vault is a no go. Even Kero Sewers and Belome's Temple aren't free of his troops. It's as if he somehow knew of all those hidden places. I sure didn't."

"That's because he was with Mario during Smithy's attack," Peach frowned. "I was with him too. He knows about all of those places…"

"Does he know about this place?" both Zelda and Bow asked. Peach's silence confirmed it.

"The only reason he'd let us get this far with it is if…there was a spy," Bow said, turning away from them. "All right, Boos!"

"Yes?" the Boos said, reappearing.

"There's a spy somewhere, either here or in the casino," Bow said loudly. "Look out for anything suspicious. Stay outta' sight to make it easier."

"Yes, ma'am!"

"And if I find out any one of you are spies…" she said in a low voice, before becoming monstrous once again, "I'LL FEED YOU TO TUBBA BLUBBA!" The other Boos were instantly scared off.

Then, an older Boo gentleman with a white mustache and a cloth over his arm appeared. "Lady Bow, Master Mallow has arrived. He has brought a Master Jinx along with him. Shall I let them in?"

"Go ahead, Bootler," Bow nodded.

"Very good, milady," he bowed, disappearing.

A moment later, Jinx dropped down into the room. After a few seconds, he looked up to the pipe he had just come through and stepped to the side. Mallow soon fell through, flat on his face.

"Owwww!" Mallow whined, sitting up and rubbing his face. He caught sight of Peach and quickly smiled. "Oh, hey there! It's been a while since I last saw you."

"It's nice to see you again too, Mallow," Peach smiled. "This is a friend of mine, Princess Zelda."

"It's a pleasure, I'm sure," Zelda nodded.

"Wow, I've never met a real elf before," Mallow grinned.

"Uh…"

"I'm Prince Mallow of Nimbus Land," he continued. "It's a real shame what's happened. I actually had a lot more of my people with me, but they all got captured…But I know we can take back Nimbus Land."

"Wait a minute," Zelda said. "We're just here for a rescue…"

"Of course we can take back Nimbus Land," Peach interrupted her.

"_Peach, what are you doing?"_ Zelda asked telepathically, while keeping a straight face as Mallow continued talking.

"_He's my friend,"_ Peach replied. "_Besides, we're here so we might as well see it through."_

"_Are you sure you aren't just trying to avoid your mother?"_

"_Are you sure you shouldn't shut up and mind your own business?"_ Peach replied without realizing that Zelda heard what was supposed to be a private thought.

Zelda turned directly toward her in shock.

"Yeah, I know," Mallow laughed. "No one would ever suspect the Princess could be so useful in battle. Before she came along, my HP Rain was the only healing magic we had."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Bow said with annoyance. "Now, how about the plan for this thing? Those rogue Shamans are no joke."

"Mallow and I discussed it earlier," Jinx said. "I'll divert as much attention as I can, so that the others can get into the kingdom unnoticed. If you can, try to sneak into the castle. Mallow and Peach have experience with ousting invaders so they'll lead the way. I'll try to catch up as soon as I can. If you can free some of the prisoners, things should get easier."

"I've been meaning to ask you, Jinx," Zelda said. "The Merlee that was kidnapped. Was it the one that we knew or another one?"

"I'm afraid we never met, so I couldn't tell you," Jinx replied. "What concerns me is that they kidnapped someone so far away from their base of operations. And since they've taken over Nimbus Land, which is so close to what used to be Monstro Town, I feel obligated to defeat the evil that has conquered Nimbus Land. But I can't do it alone."

"We're in this together," Mallow said. "We can do this. We'll start in one hour, so get ready."

"Gotcha!" a cry came out from above. Soon a Shy Away, basically a timid Shy Guy with a lance and housefly-like wings, fell through one of the pipes in the ceiling and hit the ground with a thud. A Boo soon floated down. "Lady Bow, I found him. He was listening in through the pipes."

"Very good," Bow said approvingly. "Have Bootler interrogate him in one of the backrooms of the casino.

As the time for the mission to commence neared and everyone had gathered back into the meeting area, Bootler appeared before Bow.

"Madam, it seems that the enemy Shamans see little threat in us since Mallow's compatriots have been captured," he reported. "Furthermore, they find the connection between other Shamans and the casino somewhat admirable, since the Shamans are making quite a profit from such a large number of customers. However, I must add that they do not yet know that Master Jinx as well as Princess Toadstool and Princess Hyrule are here. They would all be deemed as major threats. Keeping in mind that more spies will be sent, I suggest that they leave the immediate area for the sake of everyone within the establishment."

"That's okay," Bow said. "We're about to move out anyway."

"Excuse me! Are you implying that you are joining them in this coup?"

"I'm not implying anything. I'm saying it," Bow replied.

"Lady Bow! Please reconsider! What would your father say if I should allow something to happen to you?"

"Can it Bootler!" Bow yelled. "I know you're worried about me, but I'm the best Boo for it. Some of the others will be coming along anyway."

"Then, I shall be one of them!"

"Not going to happen. You're staying right here where it's safe."

"But milady…"

"I SAID NO!" Bow screamed.

"Careful," Jinx cautioned. "We don't want to give ourselves away before we even start.

"Very well," Bootler sighed. "Please be careful." He disappeared.

"Is everyone ready?" Zelda asked.

"Ready," said all the Boos around her, suddenly appearing.

Jinx was the first to hop out of one of several pipes in the center of the valley. The plants around them were all orange for some reason. It was full of thick foliage and small hills. The area was well known for its high presence of Smilax and Chewy plants, both dangerous varieties of Piranha Plants. The area was just as dangerous as Land's End, if not more so because of the proximity to Nimbus Land. Seeing that the area was clear of enemies, Jinx signaled the others to get ready.

He dashed into one of the winding paths that led toward the beanstalk to Nimbus Land. Bow rose out of the pipe invisibly, listening. Soon, she heard yelling far into the distance, somewhat in the air. It was not long before she saw stray magic projectiles whizzing through the air. A Diamond Saw even sliced through the bushes and went right through her transparent form. Soon, Jinx ran by, going much slower than usual so his pursuers would not lose sight of him. There were Lakitus, Shy Aways, Giga Parakoopas, Shy Guys, Snifits, and of course Shamans, all giving chase. Bow found it strange that there were Shy Guys and Snifits as well, but there was no time for that right now. Jinx had apparently gotten the attention of all of the guards at the entrance, judging from the number of them.

She became visible and motioned for the others to hurry out. Everyone came out, with the Boos staying semi-transparent, and rushed toward the large beanstalk at the edge of the valley. As Zelda, Peach, and Mallow began climbing, the Boos flew up ahead to make sure there was no one waiting for them. Mallow had warned them that there would be quite a bit of climbing involved, since Nimbus Land was literally in the clouds. Zelda shook her head as they began to actually stand on clouds to reach miniature, floating beanstalks of various colors.

The Boos were waiting for them when they finally used a spring to hop into the Nimbus Land. All the buildings were made of thorny wood and plants, presumably from beanstalks. The large, pink castle was in plain sight, with two mutant Parakoopas standing guard at the entrance. All the common citizens were Mallow's people. They were all somewhat chunky and fluffy. Mallow directed the others to his safe house, the home of a sculptor named Garro.

Garro wore a red vest, purple pants, and a red fez. He silently acknowledged them and hung a "Closed" sign on the outside of his door.

"Diddly," Bow said to one of the Boos. "Take a peek inside the castle to see how much security there is in the first few rooms. We don't want to get caught as soon as we enter."

"Yes, ma'am," the Boo said, disappearing.

"Assuming that they'll have decent security," Zelda said, "how are we to enter? I didn't see any windows or other possible entrances."

"We'll use a modification of the way Mario and us got in," Mallow winked.

"You see," Garro spoke, "I make statues for the castle. And villains always want statues of themselves. I make daily deliveries. For Mario, I just painted him gold so that he seemed to be a statue and shipped him inside. That man can hold a pose!"

"But since shipping in statues of recognizable enemies would be really suspicious," Bow began, "we're just going to become invisible and pass through on his cart. Everybody gets a Boo. Then when we get inside, we'll split up into two teams just for efficiency. Peach, you're with the Prince. Zelda, you're with me. If we can find the boss and take him down, we'll get this place back in control."

The reconnaissance Boo returned. "The security is pretty tight. For some reason, there's a lot of 8-Bits guys around. They don't look like they're too friendly with the mystics. Lots of monsters I've never seen before, either. Some of them look like orcs or something."

"Must be Moblins," Zelda muttered.

"Anything else?" Bow asked.

"I heard some of them talking about some of their newest prisoners," he replied. "Something about, and I quote, 'a tall, scary-looking elf lady and a cute redheaded elf."

"Oh, no…" Peach gasped.

"We have to hurry!" Zelda exclaimed.


	15. Smiley

**Smiley **

As Garro wheeled his cart of statues into the castle, the guarding Shamans made sure to give them a good poke. They had heard that Mario had once snuck into the castle disguised as a statue. The statues were all those of a Shaman, but they did not move. The first room was a hall lined with other statues. The walls were pinkish and the floor was teal, with a gold carpet going along the main paths through each room. Cleared by the security, Garro was allowed to take the cart through two more rooms and set them up on empty podiums.

"Okay, guys," Garro said, already moving one of the statues to its proper place. "Good luck." Mallow, Zelda, Peach, each with a Boo, became visible and moved toward the door. The two Boos other than Bow were told to keep watch outside the castle with the other Boos.

When the four carefully backtracked into a small room with four crossing paths, they found two Moblins patrolling. Zelda teleported behind one and silently grabbed it from behind, covering its mouth and stabbing it in the neck with her dagger. Just as the other Moblin turned to see its partner burning in purple flames, Zelda flicked the dagger straight into its face to dispatch it. Mallow directed them through the northern door next.

It was a long, narrow corridor. There was a Giga Parakoopa pacing back and forth along the corridor on all fours, fortunately with its back turned. There were other heavy footsteps coming from around the corner down the corridor, though they sounded metallic. The group slowly approached the mutant as it neared the corner. Sensing something behind it, it turned around. It could not see thetransparent Bow and Mallow in front of him. It shrugged and paced back down the corridor, passing through Bow and Mallow. Fortunately, it had not looked up to see Peach floating near the ceiling while Zelda pressed her arms and legs against the walls to suspend herself. They dropped down quietly and continued forward. Bow peeked around the corner and saw that the other guard was a Titanium Knuckle.

"Mallow, short circuit it," Peach whispered. Mallow charged his magic and shocked it with a small thunderbolt. The Titanium Knuckle began to convulse and give off smoke. Everyone ran by it as it made a racket. By the time the Giga Parakoopa had come to investigate it, the others had slipped out through the next door.

It was a medium sized, but relatively empty room. There was a single statue in the center. There was a Giga Parakoopa talking to a giant Club Moblin, too engaged to notice the intruders.

"No way," the mutant Koopa said. "Bowser is the King of Evil. He made a Super Mecha Koopa just for stomping flowerbeds. The fact it can smash just about anything else is just a perk by his standards."

"Hogwash!" the Moblin retorted. "Master Ganon killed the Great Deku Tree, tried to starve a whole race of rocks, and gave a living god a stomach bug, all so he could get the ultimate power of the Triforce."

"Psssh! Bowser already has the ultimate power! Guess you never heard of the Star Rod…"

"Just an oversized fairy wand…"

"Watch it, mack!"

"You watch it, bub!"

By the time they began to fight each other, the intruders had slipped into the next room unnoticed. There they found a large room with three doors along one wall. There was similar tension in this room, though it was between the 8-Bits and the Shamans. The room was silent, but they were separated on different sides of the room, glaring at one another. Unlike the Koopa and Moblin however, they seemed to at least be attempting to stay on guard, though it seemed they suspected each other of treachery.

Mallow got an idea and whispered to Bow. She nodded and went transparent, moving out into the open. Mallow charged his magic and struck one of the Shy Guys with a bolt of lightning.

"Yeowch!" the masked fellow yelped. "All right! Which one of you darkies is the wise guy?"

"Who you callin' darkie?" one of the Shaman spoke up. Bow chucked a pebble at that particular Shaman. "Hey, what's the big idea? You can't just go shooting people with your stinkin' pellets just because we aren't afraid to show our faces…sort of."

"Wasn't me," one of the Snifits said.

"You, with the slingshot," he said, pointing to a Shy Guy. "You got something to say to me."

"Huh?" Before he could continue, Mallow gave him a shock. "That does it! It's on!" The entire room broke out into battle.

"Okay, this is where we split," Mallow said. "Zelda and Bow, take the left door down there. If you follow the path, you should reach one of the rooms they use as a makeshift prison. We're taking the middle door."

"See you later," Zelda said, running off with Bow while dodging the projectiles flying around them.

When Mallow and Peach entered the next room, they found it almost pitch black inside, except for one spot. In the only spot of light, Ingrid was chained to the wall, nearly hanging by her arms. She was just tall enough for her feet to touch the floor. She had on an expressionless face as usual, though she was staring back at the two rivals in front of her. A Shaman in black and a familiar black-robed Shy Guy stood in front of her, talking about something.

"Any luck?" Death Guy asked.

"Nope, she's not giving," Shadee sighed. "I don't get it… How can someone withstand my mind-bending powers like this? It doesn't even look like I'm giving her a headache."

"Typical."

The Shaman turned to him, obviously annoyed. "Are you done you here?"

"Just about," Death Guy said. "I figured out how you took this place over so easily, though. Keeping the King and Queen alive… Bowser told you to get rid of them. Instead, you just threaten the populace that you'll hurt them if they don't obey. How would they know if King and Queen Nimbus were to have…an accident?"

"Shouldn't you be giving someone a nightmare or something? Because you're distracting me. I can't even get my mojo going!"

"Just like a darkie to complain about distractions…"

"Go bother the King and Queen or something! In fact, _you_ get rid of them since you're the oh-so-great Death Guy. They're two rooms up toward the throne room and make a left. In fact, it's the only turn left at this point in the castle."

"You know what? I think I will…"

Mallow gasped and whispered, "Princess we have to hurry!"

"But first, I think I'll show you the right way to get info out of your prisoners," Death Guy said, looking up at Ingrid.

"You go ahead," Peach whispered to Mallow. "I'll take care of her. Go while they're both still here."

"Thanks," he said, quietly sneaking to the door he knew was on the other side of the room. His exit went unnoticed, while Peach stayed in the shadows to wait for an opportunity. She already knew that Death Guy was a boss after having encountered him in a dream. His presence also explained the presence of the 8-Bits Club troops. And the Shaman in black seemed to be in charge of Nimbus Land on Bowser's behalf. It was ironic that Bowser had sent the secretly traitorous 8-Bits to investigate equally the shady Shaman force.

Death Guy took a feather out of his robe and began rub it along Ingrid's bare feet. "Cuchi-coo!" Ingrid did not react at all, merely staring at him. "Come on… You know youcan't take it! Now tell us everything you know!" Peach began to get a very uncomfortable feeling.

"And you called me the loser," Shadee sighed. "Can't you see she's not ticklish?"

"That's okay," he said, putting away the feather and taking out a deflated balloon. He began to blow up the balloon. "Here's something no one can stand." He put his hand through the mouth hole on his mask, apparently licking it and began to rub his hand across the balloon, making an annoyingly squeaky sound.

"Hey, cut that out!" Shadee said, covering his ears.

"It's not even annoying her…" Death Guy said in amazement.

"It's annoying me!" Shadee yelled, popping the balloon with a spark of magic.

"How about this?" Death Guy somehow produced a small chalkboard and slowly scratched it. Still Ingrid only gave him a blank stare. Suddenly, Peach shuddered.

"Now, now, gentlemen," a voice familiar to Peach echoed. "I expected better of you two."

"Smiley?" Death Guy asked.

"How long have you been here?" Shadee added.

"Long enough to see that you two don't know a thing about real torture," Smiley replied, appearing in the form of a brown cloaked figure. Peach could only see his back. Little of his form could be seen at all other than his skinny, bandage-wrapped legs, which stuck out the bottom of the cloak. For some reason, Peach was feeling ill.

"Well, then by all means…" Shadee said, stepping back.

"Be our guest," Death Guy said, also stepping back.

"Ingrid," Smiley rasped. "Moko dai sa na kreo vadio jo vue kuya?"

"Hmph," was the only sound Ingrid made.

"Vagata madayo. Somay sa juizia?"

"Sa," Ingrid replied simply.

"Oh well," Smiley said, as a blade suddenly jutted out of the side of his robe, where his arms would be. "It's more fun for me this way." He tore away her black cloak and slashed across her torso, leaving a deep cut all the way from her right shoulder to her left hip. Despite this, she did not so much as flinch.

"She's tough," Shadee commented.

"And flatter than a five-year old Toad," Death Guy muttered.

"She practices the way of Oni," Smiley said. "She'll be quite resistant to most forms of torture, though in my experience, there's always a crack in the armor to be found. He took hold of her foot and slowly pressed the tip of his sword underneath the nail of her big toe, slowly lifting the nail. Peach was appalled. Death Guy and Shadee were a bit squeamish about it as well. Ingrid showed no signs of pain however.

"She's lucky blood does not spill so easily here," Smiled chuckled, removing the blade. "Shadee, are you any good with the healing arts?"

"A little," he answered. "Why?"

"The key to torture is to make your victim feel as much pain as possible, while keeping them alive. For if they die, then it's just wasted effort. But with some proper healing magic, more…invasive techniques can be applied," he said, slowly moving the blade far up her inner thigh.

"Uh, you know what?" Shadee said quickly and nervously. "I actually have some things to do, like…um…showing Death Guy around here."

"Ah. Yes," Smiley said, slowly cutting up across the rows of bandages wrapped around her torso. "Bowser doesn't fully trust you simply because Shamans have a poor record in this sort of business. Don't fret. He doesn't have to know _everything_ his underlings are up to." His focus remained on Ingrid, who still remained stoic. He did notice a subtly icier gaze in her eyes. He then realized that his blade had cut through each bandage, completely exposing her torso. He began to laugh. "Danba digeh vestio!" It was the same laugh Peach had been subjected to while she was in virtual reality.

"Yuge ma shigoto de gaisa," Ingrid spoke with ominous calm. "Garo…Phanto…Eighta Bitsu Clubbo. Chu daga da va Ganon…dosoto va Bowser… Seval da mascuri va Maj…"

"Silence!" Smiley yelled as a second blade revealed itself where his other arm would be. He jumped up and crosscut her face, leaving a cross scar. As he landed, he tossed the blades, which were actually short swords. One pinned her hand against the wall, while the other pinned her shoulder. Even still, she did not flinch.

"…Whoa dude," Death Guy said, shocked.

"Perhaps there might be some other person with healing arts?" Smiley asked, now with a pleasant and polite voice.

"…Yeah," Shadee said, equally shocked. "It's a new girl on the west wing. Her name's Merlee. One of the best we have here. She's not specialized in healing, but her hexing can pull it off. I had her cast a little spell on myself just as a test."

"Thank you," Smiley said, sinking into the ground.

"That guy has issues," Death Guy sighed.

"You're telling me," Shadee agreed. "I mean really, if I had known this chick couldn't speak English, I would have just locked her up like the redhead. I don't wanna' be here when he gets serious with this elf, no matter how tough she is."

"Same here, darkie," Death Guy nodded. Both of them soon exited out the door toward the throne room.

Peach came out of the shadows and quickly removed the blades from Ingrid's body. Ingrid did not seem surprised to see her at all. Peach made sure to heal her, erasing the scars and cuts. Ingrid used her telekinesis to wrap her torn cloak around her chest. Unfortunately, there was nothing that could be done about the chains. They were too well secured to the wall and too strong to break.

"I'm sorry," Peach said sadly and somewhat panicked. "I can't break those without hurting you…"

Ingrid seemed to be feeling around in her cloak with telekinesis. Finding nothing, she began to speak, "Malon. Mader. Erbasu. Puff, puff."

Peach repeated the words to herself. "I don't get it…"

"Findem," Ingrid said. "Malon. Erbasu. Puff, puff."

"I…" Peach said, with a bewildered look on her face.

"Zelda tagoser linga… Findem. Malon. Mader erabsu…"

"What?"

"Fag," Ingrid said, becoming annoyed.

"That's not a nice word…"

Ingrid pulled herself up with the chains so that she was no longer hanging by her arms. She motioned as if she was smoking a cigarette. "Puff, puff. Ganna? Fag."

"Oh, a cigarette," Peach said, now understanding. "Why do you want one of those? They're no good for you. I know this is a stressful situation and everything, but…"

"Findem Zelda, Peach," Ingrid said firmly. "Zen findem Malon ond erbasu. Onderstanden?"

"Okay, I'll find Zelda," Peach said. "…Right?"

"Aye," Ingrid nodded.

"Hey, are you beginning to understand me?"

"Vadio!" Ingrid used her telekinesis to pick up Peach and threw her out the door she came in.

* * *

Zelda and Bow had just knocked out a Shaman and checked to see if it was actually Merlee. Zelda and Sheik had seen both Merlee and Merluvlee and Zelda remembered what Merlee actually looked like under her hood. This Shaman was not her.

"That's creepy," Bow shuddered as Zelda put the hood back onto the Shaman.

"Let's move on," Zelda said, looking uncomfortable as well. Bow phased through the next door to take a peek. It was another corridor with a corner she could not see around, though she could tell there was a stairway going down. A Club Moblin was marching back and forth. She drifted through the walls to get a better look. There was a Shaman standing guard at a door at the bottom of the stairs, looking a bit sullen.

"Another one of those Moblin things," Bow said as she returned to Zelda. "There's another Shaman around the corner, guarding a door."

As soon as Zelda looked through the door, the Moblin spotted her and slammed its club on the floor. A large tremor traveled along the floor and blasted the door away, though Zelda and Bow stood aside just in time.

"I can't get a good shot," Zelda said, having no time to attack.

"I'll take this one," Bow said, disappearing. She reappeared in front of the Moblin, covering her face. The Moblin, recognizing her as a Boo, stopped mid-swing. He was curious as to why Bow was twitching.

"What's the matter with you?"

"That can't possibly work on a Moblin," Zelda thought to herself.

"BOO!" Bow screamed, in a larger monstrous form.

"Aaaaah!" the Moblin screamed shrilly, running straight through the wall behind him to get away. Unfortunately for him, he ended up running straight off the cloud the castle was on and fell to his doom.

"Wimp," Bow giggled.

"Who is there? " the Shaman called out.

Zelda slid around the corner, ready to toss her needles if the Shaman attacked.

"Oh, Sheik, so fair!" the Shaman swooned. Zelda jumped down the stairs, landing directly in front of her, while Bow watched from afar.

"Merlee?" Bow asked.

"Is that you?" Zelda asked.

"Oh, Sheik, my dearest love!" Merlee cried, grasping her in a hug. "My prayers have reached the stars above! Please, take me from this wretched place, and I will once again show you my beautiful face." She winked and pulled her trademark blonde bang out of her hood.

"…Are there prisoners in there?" Bow asked, trying to ignore the sight.

"Yes, indeed, young Boo princess," Merlee nodded, still clinging to who she thought was Sheik. "In fact, my sister among them, in great distress."

Zelda found that the door was locked.

"I'm afraid that Moblin had the key," said Merlee. "Surely there is another way to make them free."

Zelda began to pick the lock with a needle. When the needle broke, she frowned and called to the other side, "Stand away from the door!" She charged her Shining Ray and blasted the door down. There were at least a dozen Nimbus citizens inside and one Shaman with long curls of hair. She saw Zelda, or Sheik, and dove into her arms immediately.

"Sheik, it's you!" Merluvlee cried.

"When did you get captured?" Zelda asked.

"Last night," she said, laying her head against Zelda. "But now that you're here, ah, I have nothing to fear. I see you aren't wearing that silly metal plate anymore. You're softer than I expected."

Bow raised an eyebrow. There were two Shaman girls hanging on Zelda. "Excuse me, did I miss something?"

"Thank you for freeing us," one of the Nimbus people said. "You must be with Prince Mallow. We were all captured from his group."

"There's still heavy security near the entrance," Zelda warned them. "Let's move together until you're clear." They all backtracked through the halls until they came to the room where the battle between the 8-Bits members and Shamans had taken place. Everyone was out cold.

"What happened here?" one of the Nimbus people asked.

"Petty in-fighting," Bow said.

Suddenly, Peach flew out of the center door and into Zelda.

"What happened?" Bow asked.

"Where's Mallow?" Zelda asked, helping her up.

"He went to help his parents," Peach said. "Zelda, your mother's in that room. She's been tortured. I can't understand what she's saying, but she seems to want to smoke or something. Did you find Malon?"

"No," Zelda said. "Bow, get these people out of here."

"I can't sneak this many people out," Bow complained. "I'm good, but not that good."

"You don't need to be," Jinx said from behind them. "I dispatched all the guards up to this point."

"All right, then, let's go!" Bow said, leading the prisoners out.

"Um, ladies…" Zelda said to the Shamans still hanging onto her.

"We want to stay by your side, Sheik," Merluvlee said. "I'm sure we can help you somehow."

"It's really too dangerous here for you," Jinx said. "You should leave with the others." Then, all five of them shuddered.

"I don't feel so good…" Peach frowned, beginning to breathe harder.

"Do you feel that?" Jinx asked.

"You mean that thirst for blood…" Zelda said, looking around cautiously.

"Looming all around us?" Merluvlee added.

"The masked Faceless One?" Merlee inquired. "But…I see none."

"Smiley…" Peach murmured.

"You four go ahead," Jinx said, keeping his eyes sharp. "I'll handle it."

"Are you sure?" Zelda asked.

"The Princess isn't faring so well in this presence," Jinx said, referring to Peach.

"It feels like the Shadow Temple…" Peach said, beginning to shiver.

"Okay," Zelda sighed. "Be careful." They walked through the center door. The door closed just as Smiley rose out of the ground facing the door.

"Who are you?" Jinx asked.

"No one you know," the cloaked figure replied in a humored voice. "It's a shame these walls are soundproof. I was hoping to hear your screams echo through the castle." The two blades slid out of his cloak once again.

"So, that's how it's going to be? I guess I'll just start off with a Valor Up!" Jinx said, creating a blue glow around his body. He could tell from the eerie vibe this challenger was giving off that this would be no easy fight.


	16. Freeing Nimbus Land

**Freeing Nimbus Land**

As soon as Zelda saw her mother in chains, she ran to her. "Mother, are you all right?"

"(Fine,)" Ingrid replied, though Peach could still not comprehend her Hylian words. "(I find the absence of blood loss convenient…if somewhat counterintuitive.)"

"I'll have you out of those chains in no time," Zelda said, charging magic into her hands. She struck the bonds repeatedly, but they did not give.

"(It's no use trying to break them like that. That black Faceless One is the only one with the proper key.)" Then, Ingrid looked to the two Shamans still holding onto Zelda. "(Friends of yours?)"

"Yes, these are my friends Merluvlee and her little sister Merlee," Zelda said.

"Did Mallow come back through here?" Peach asked. Zelda relayed the message to Ingrid.

"(If she means that cloud-like person that was with her, no. I haven't seen him come back through here.)"

"No," Zelda said to Peach.

"He should be back by now," Peach said worriedly.

"(Zelda, don't waste time minding me. Move on and either get the key from the black Faceless One or find Malon.)"

"What is she doing here?"

"(Explanations will come later,)" Ingrid said, as there was a loud bang against the wall from the room they had just left. "(Find her and retrieve the herbs her mother gave to her. With them, I won't need a key to get free.)"

"Do you know where she is?"

"(No.)"

"Blast!" Zelda cursed.

"What is it?" Peach asked.

"We need to find Malon!" Zelda said, moving to exit through the next door.

"I may be able to help," Merluvlee said. She stood back and raised her arms. She closed her eyes in concentration and strange star-shaped lights danced along the walls.

"How long is this going to take?" Zelda asked.

"Ah, there we are!" Merluvlee said as the lights disappeared. "She's not far ahead. She's in the same room as King and Queen Nimbus."

"Then, let's go!" Zelda said, rushing through the next door.

They passed through a room that was devoid of guards. At the next room, which also had no guards, Merluvlee stopped them. There was an open door to the left. The room inside was empty, save for a note posted on the door.

Peach took the note and read, "'We know what you're up to. If you ever want to see the elf and the Royal Family again, come to the throne. We are torturing them as we speak.' Oh no!"

"They're going to make you surrender," Merluvlee said worriedly.

"I have an idea," Zelda said, taking out her chain.

* * *

Shadee sat confidently on the throne, with a Chomp Chomp on either side. Both bronzed Chain Chomp variants had the radius of a full-grown human and were much more settled than their wilder, black cousins. They sat there, merely gazing hungrily up at the prisoners hanging by ropes in front of them. Death Guy and his squad of three Anti Guys, who wore darkened masks as well as black robes, were busy "torturing" the prisoners. Death Guy was reading a seemingly endless stream of bad fat jokes to Mallow and his likewise portly parents. The Anti Guys had lowered Malon so that she was lying on the floor, barefoot, and vulnerable to their merciless tickle attacks. She was the only one who wasn't gagged, so her laughter filled the room, encouraging Death Guy.

Merluvlee and Merlee brought in Zelda and Peach, both tightly tied together by a long chain. Peach looked a bit flustered, as if she really wanted to say something.

"We have captured the intruders, milord," Merlee bowed. "Until this, I must I say, I was becoming rather bored."

"Ah, the new girls," Shadee said. He snapped his fingers for the Shy Guys to stop, though Malon's laughter drowned it out.

"You're so fat," Death Guy continued, "you can't even see me over your stomach. You're so fat, Gourmet Guy thinks you have a weight problem. You're so fat…"

"Hey!" Shadee yelled. "That's enough! Stop the jokes; stop the tickling!" Death Guy looked over to the newcomers and signaled the Anti Guys to stop.

"(Thank the Goddesses!)" Malon panted exhaustedly.

"As I was about to say," Shadee continued, "I'm impressed with you two. The others took at least a week to get with the program, but you! Well done! So, what should we do with these kids?"

"Kill them?" Death Guy suggested.

"Peach, yeah," Shadee said. "But Zelda's reserved."

"For who?"

"That Ganon guy," Shadee said. "He wants Zelda alive."

"Man, forget him! Killing is easier!"

"Don't be so harsh," Shadee scolded him.

"Hey, harsh is keeping them alive just to torture them like Smiley," Death Guy reasoned. "I just want to get rid of them."

"Mmph," Peach grunted, still with a red face.

"_Something wrong?"_ Zelda asked her via telepathy.

"_I'm…not used to faking this,"_ Peach replied uncomfortably.

"Well, anyway," Shadee continued, "how do you plan on killing Peach?" They heard the rattle of the Chomp Chomp chains as the Chomps tugged slightly to sniff. Peach's face got redder and she seemed to be holding her breath.

"Well, there's an idea," Death Guy said, kneeling to the metal monsters. "Does somebody want a Peach dessert? Huh? Do ya? Who wants a Peach dessert?" Peach exhaled and then held her breath again. The Chomp Chomps caught her full scent and perked up. They began barking and snapping, tugging as much as they could toward her. Peach's mouth began to quiver as she had a sudden urge to cry for help, but she kept silent and stuck to the plan.

"Excuse me, Mr…Death Guy was it?" Merluvlee asked.

"What's up, darkette?" the Shy Guy replied.

"I'm a bit curious as to what your face looks like under that mask," she said with girlish charm, wrapping a tress around her finger. "I'm aware that we have common ancestry, but…I'd like to see exactly how different our faces are."

"And what makes you think I'm going to show you the face of Death?" he asked cockily.

"If you show me yours," she said, with half-open eyelids, "I'll show you mine."

"Ay!" Shadee objected. "Don't tell me you have a thing for this chump!"

"What can I say?" Death Guy saidin a self-congratulatory voice. "I'm awesome. You suck. Even darkies can tell the difference. Or at least the girls can anyway. In fact, these are the only girls I've seen this whole time. Do you have something against women or something?"

"Yeah, do you?" asked an apparently female Anti Guy.

"No, Merlee and her sister here are just more obvious because they let out their hair and…" The chain around Zelda and Peach retracted instantly and Zelda threw her needles straight at Shadee and Death Guy.

"Ow!" Death Guy yelped as they hit the back of his head. The needles aimed at Shadee bounced off mysteriously. Zelda turned and saw Merlee glowing. She looked slightly embarrassed and laughed nervously. Apparently, the spell she had cast on him previously had self-activated at this inconvenient moment. Shadee teleported in a puff of smoke and reappeared behind the throne.

"You rule Merlee!" Shadee yelled, as the Anti Guys removed the needles from Death Guy. Malon was hoisted up high toward the ceiling, while the Chomp Chomps' chains magically disappeared.

"Run!" Peach yelled, dashing back through the door. The Shaman sisters stood aside as Zelda followed her, with the Chomp Chomps in quick pursuit. The Chomp Chomps burst through every wall that got in their way. Soon they zoomed back through Ingrid's room. Ingrid merely watched as the girls ran out, followed by the Chomp Chomps, and sighed.

As soon as Peach and Zelda came out of her room, Peach led her to the door they had not gone through yet. It took them to an area that was in a lower part of a larger room, but their immediate path was a dead end. Zelda used her chain to hook around the railings and get Peach and herself up there. They stared downward at the Chomp Chomps, which were jumping up and down barking at them. Then, the Chomps stopped barking and exited back through the hole they had left in the wall.

"You don't think…?" Zelda asked cautiously. They looked through a door on their level, in the direction the Chomps had gone. It was Ingrid's room again and they saw the Chomps heading their way.

"(Just get the herbs,)" Ingrid called out just as they ran back toward the throne room. As they reached the throne room, Zelda jumped into the air and grabbed onto Malon's feet. She pulled herself up and clung to Malon while Peach jumped and floated above the doorway.

"Malon, do you have Mother's herbs?" Zelda asked.

"(In my apron,)" Malon answered, smiling. Zelda grabbed a small box out of her apron.

"I'll get back to you," Zelda said.

"Good luck," Malon said, pecking her between her eyes. Zelda dropped down and blasted her Shining Ray into one of the incoming Chomps. It whined and tried to gather its senses. Peach sent a swift kick to the other one from behind to distract it from Zelda. Zelda jumped on top of it and over it, prompting Peach to join her out of the room, while the Chomp was left confused for a second. The monsters quickly restarted their chase.

As soon as Zelda passed her mother, she stuffed the box in her robes as she passed by. Ingrid used her telekinesis to hold the box, open it, and take out one of the pre-rolled cigarettes. She lit a flame on her finger and moved the cigarette to it to light it. She placed the cigarette into her mouth and took her first puff. She focused her energy and broke the chains, finally able to fully stand on her own.

Zelda and Peach passed through her room once again. As she passed by, Zelda asked, "Mind giving us a hand?" The Chomp Chomps completely ignored Ingrid as she watched them whiz by. She leaned back against the wall and took another deep breath from her cigarette. She blew out smoke idly. A Chomp burst through another wall nearby, apparently taking a different route. Zelda and Peach came out through one of the former doorways, but were shocked to see a monster waiting there for them. Zelda blasted another wall down and ran through with Peach. Ingrid watched as the second Chomp rejoined the first one and chased them through the wall. She could hear more walls being destroyed throughout the castle. She could also hear the cries of stray guards being caught in the rampage.

"We could really use some help here!" Zelda said, running through a new hole in the wall with Peach. Ingrid just took another breath and slowly exhaled. "Any time now!" Zelda yelled, running through another hole with Peach. Once her cigarette had burned down to a measly butt, Ingrid flicked it away and raised her hand. "What are you waiting for!" Zelda screamed, running back toward the throne room. Ingrid swiped her hand down with tremendous force.

* * *

"What is going on in there?" Bow asked, watching the entire castle shake with the rest of the Boos. Suddenly, almost the entire castle flattened into rubble as if a giant invisible hammer had whacked it. "That can't be good…"

* * *

Zelda and Peach stood shocked as they saw every part of the castle up to the throne room completely crushed. Zelda looked down and saw Merlee and Merluvlee clinging to her once again. The only part of the throne room itself that survived were certain sections of the wall and the rear of the room. The ceiling was gone. The Chomp Chomps were buried underneath the stone that had preceded the throne room. They saw Ingrid slowly walk out of the dusty rubble, completely unharmed.

"(I was waiting for you to get out of the way,)" Ingrid said, walking by Zelda and Peach. She stuck her hand into the mound of rocks on the floor and pulled out Malon, who was shaken, but unharmed. Malon instantly gravitated to Zelda and clung to her as well. Ingrid then moved another mound of stone with her mind and there were Mallow and his parents, completely unconscious.

"Whoa, dude," Death Guy said, peeking around the throne with his Anti Guys and Shadee.

"Who's up for a retreat?" Shadee asked enthusiastically.

"Me."

"Me."

"Me," each of the Anti Guys chimed in. They all ran out the back door.

The Chomps burst out of the rubble, ready to catch Peach, Zelda, and everyone holding onto her in their jaws. Ingrid aimed backwards and killed them with her black mist. Then, she willed them back to life as undead Chomp Chomps.

"(Watch over them,)" Ingrid said to the Chomps, keeping her eyes on the door behind the throne. "Zelda. Peach." The princesses joined her in pursuit of the fleeing enemies, though she was running much faster than them.

They entered a series of long corridors with barred windows and houseplants hanging along the walls. Peach frowned as she remembered this area. "There was something I was supposed to remember about this place…something really important."

"Hopefully, it'll come to you before it's too late," Zelda said. Ingrid came to a sudden halt at a doorway. Zelda could not help but run into her from behind. Peach could do no better and collided with both of them.

As Ingrid lost her balance, they saw why she had stopped. There was a sheer drop beyond the door, right off the cloud they were on. "Oh, yeah, now I remember!" Peach announced, as they fell off.

"PEACH, WE ARE GOING TO DIE!" Zelda screamed.

"(Shameful death number two,)" Ingrid sighed as they plummeted.

"Wait, we'll be okay!" Peach assured her. "Look!" They were falling toward a small cloud.

"Oh, sweet Nayru, thank you!" Zelda cried joyously. Then, they fell right through the cloud. "BLOODY SON OF A WHORE!"

"Look! Another cloud!" Peach said.

"Praise the gods!" Zelda sighed of relief. They fell through that cloud as well. "ALIOFRA SAGAIO MIRYN!"

"(That's enough out of you, Zelda,)" Ingrid said, frowning.

"Hey, there's another…"

"Goddesses, _shut up_ you idiot!" Zelda yelled. "Can't you see your godforsaken laws of physics have turned against us?"

"But this happened to me before…" Peach said in a somewhat upset voice. "I'm sure I was able to do something… We were able to touch down on the first cloud up there." They fell through another cloud.

"Did it ever occur to you that maybe you were just lucky?" Zelda said angrily. "I mean, come on! Standing on a cloud is one thing, but falling onto one? We're doomed you raving fool! Completely and utterly…" They landed, sinking deep into a larger, thicker cloud. They dug themselves out and sat on the fluffy mass of water molecules, all but Ingrid stunned at what just happened. They stood up to see the clouds they had fallen through above them. They had fallen through because each of the clouds had an inconveniently placed hole that was hard to see because of the shifting vapors.

"Oh, now I remember," Peach said. "I could've just floated us to…"

"Shut up, Peach," Zelda said coldly, walking away with her mother. "Don't speak anymore."

Peach had a hurt look on her face. She looked down at the cloud she was standing on for a moment and sighed.

* * *

Shadee, Death Guy, and the three Anti Guys stood outside the castle, being confronted by the general populace.

"What's going on in there?" one man asked.

"Everything's under control folks!" Shadee said. "Just go about your daily, meaningless lives."

"We don't have to take that anymore from you!" a woman shouted.

"Yeah, you've got no one to hide behind anymore!" another person exclaimed.

"Are you just going to stand there?" Shadee irritably asked Death Guy.

"I want to stick around to see you squirm," he chuckled. "Why? Need some help?" Then, they saw Ingrid and Zelda enter the premises behind the crowd.

"In a minute, we're both going to need help," Shadee muttered.

"What do we do?" one of the Anti Guys asked nervously.

"Guys, it's been great working with you," Death Guy said, putting his arms around his squad's shoulders. "But it looks like this is where our paths must separate."

"Boss…"

"I'm honored to have worked with such great people as you," he said.

"So brave…"

"Don't worry about me," he said. "I'll be sure to carry on the fight."

"That's so sweet…Wait, what?"

"No, no," Death Guy said dramatically, looking away from them. "I won't stop you. Go on and give your lives in the name of the 8-Bits Club if that is what you desire. You will be honored for your bravery. That much I can promise you."

"Uh-uh," an Anti Guy said.

"Screw that," the second Anti Guy said. All three began to scurry away.

"But Gigi!" Death Guy called out. "I thought we had something!"

"I don't like guys!" she called back.

"Aw, burn!" Death Guy shook his head. "Well, it looks like it's just you and…Hey!" Shadee was sneaking back into the ruins when suddenly Bow appeared in front of him.

"You're not going anywhere!" she shouted. All the other Boos appeared around them to block any escape. Ingrid and Zelda stepped into the circle.

"Nowhere to run and nowhere to hide," Zelda said threateningly. "Give up."

"Let's see," Shadee said, taking in the situation. "Forces decimated. Surrounded on all sides. At least one really dangerous elf free and probably ready for revenge…"

"Stayed up til' four last night," Death Guy continued. "Haven't eaten all day. Bladder full… I like those odds."

"You're crazy," Shadee muttered.

"You may be a darkie," Death Guy said, "but you've got your honor. And we've got our…common ancestry or something… We gotta stick together. Besides, I'll bet I last longer."

"You're on!" Shadee announced. Just then, Ingrid let loose her black mist. When it dissipated, the two were nowhere to be found. Ingrid looked up and grabbed Zelda, jumping back. A thunderbolt landed where they had stood and electrified the entire cloud. Everyone touching the cloud directly was electrocuted. Only Ingrid was able to stay on her feet, while Zelda fell to one knee.

"Up there!" Bow called out. Shadee dropped back down into the middle of the circle once the electricity had stopped. Meanwhile, Death Guy dropped down and bounced consecutively along the Boos' heads, knocking each of them out of their current plane of existence. When he got to Bow, she disappeared before he could strike her. She reappeared next to Zelda and Ingrid.

"Get these people out of the way," Zelda said to her, standing back up.

"Right," she said, turning around to civilians. She showed them her scary face and they all ran screaming.

"Who is this elf anyway?" Death Guy asked, staring at Ingrid.

"She's…" Zelda began.

"Saje ov Deathu," Ingrid answered.

"Well, isn't that something," Death Guy chuckled. "I just happen be…"

"Deathu Guy," Ingrid finished for him. She jumped after him, but he backflipped away. She attempted to swipe Shadee, but he teleported out of the way in a puff of smoke. When he appeared next to Death Guy, she held them both still with her telekinesis and blasted them with her black mist.

"You sure do make things easier," Zelda smiled.

"(Don't get comfortable,)" Ingrid said, keeping her stance.

"Aw, sick!" Death Guy coughed from within the smog. "Smells like my dad's cologne!"

"Smells like one of my incenses," Shadee said. "I think we're going to need a…"

"Way ahead of you. All right, ladies! It's time for a DOOM Reverb!" His voice echoed and Ingrid's shoulders slumped. She lost her telekinetic hold on them completely.

"Not that!" Zelda yelled, firing her Shining Ray into the cloud. Suddenly, it bounced back at her, knocking her over. Once the cloud dissipated, they could see a disappearing shield around Shadee. Death Guy took out a little bell and began to ring it just as Ingrid rushed after them. In a puff of smoke, she turned into a black-capped mushroom.

"Spore Chimes," Death Guy said mockingly to Zelda.

"You little!" Zelda shouted, running at them.

"Solidify!" Shadee yelled. Both Zelda and Ingrid were frozen in solid ice. "Finish it." Death Guy rang the bell again and Zelda turned into a blue-capped mushroom.

"Now, we can have fried 'shroom," Death Guy said, tapping the ice. "Or iced 'shroom."

"You won't get away with this!" Bow yelled flying at him and slapping him around with her fan.

"Ow! Ow! Cut it out!"

Shadee walked over to them and took out a bottle of water. Bow stopped instantly and looked frightened, beginning to float backwards. Death Guy grabbed her by her arm and held her still.

"No!" Bow screamed. Shadee dumped the water on her casually and she disappeared.

"Pure water always takes care of annoying ghosts," Shadee said, tossing the bottle away. "Now, we can fry them."

"Hold it!" The voice came from Peach, standing in front of the entrance with a determined look on her face.

"I was wondering when she'd show up again," Death Guy said. "I'll take this one personally. Hey, Princess, don't think we'll let you get close enough to break the spell." He was already walking toward her.

"I'm waiting," she said, tapping her foot. "What's the matter? Scared of being beaten by me?"

"That's some pretty big talk for someone in pink."

"I can beat you without laying a finger on you," she smirked. "In fact, I won't even toss a turnip at you. I know how much you Shy Guys hate those…"

"Oh, really?" Death Guy said, getting angry. He broke into a run at her. When he attempted to tackle her, she sidestepped and he slowed just enough to avoid falling down the entry hole. Then, she grabbed him by the strap of his mask. "Hey, no fair! You said you wouldn't touch me!"

"I lied," she said coldly, ramming her hip into him. The resulting explosion sent him flying off the cloud without his mask. Peach looked down at the mask and twirled it on her finger as she approached Shadee.

"Who's the loser now?" he chuckled to himself. "Ahem, stop right there!" He pressed his glowing hands to the structures of ice, where her comrades were imprisoned in mushroom form. With a glowing wave of her hand, Ingrid and Zelda broke out of the ice in their true forms. Both of them instantly took psychic hold of him. "Can we talk about this?"

"No," they both answered. A sheep bopped him on the head and he fell asleep.

"Don't kill him," Peach said, keeping her eyes on him.

"And why not?" Zelda asked. "He was about to…"

"He would make a good prisoner," Peach said, avoiding her eyes. "He's obviously one of Bowser's higher ranking minions. He should have some useful information…like where Smiley took Jinx."

"Huh?" Zelda looked back to the ruins and could only see the Chomp Chomps keeping careful guard in the distance. Presumably, Malon and the others were behind them.

"He's gone," Peach said, looking down at the mask she held. "We should try to find Death Guy too. If he's as strong as I think he is, he should have survived that fall. And he won't be going anywhere without his mask."


	17. Truth and Reconciliation

**Truth and Reconciliation**

Malon and the Shaman sisters leaned against the wall of the inn basement, where the beds were. Shadee was tied down to one of the beds, just now waking up. Ingrid sat on an adjacent bed with her legs folded and her eyes closed. She was meditating.

"Hey, where am I?" Shadee asked. "Merlee? Merluvlee? They captured you?"

"Actually, they're with us," Zelda said, walking down the stairs.

"Yeah, right," he said disbelievingly. "They aren't like that." He was shocked to see them gravitate towards Zelda. Malon looked at her peculiarly.

"Oh, come on!" Death Guy's voice could be heard whining upstairs. "Give it back! This isn't funny."

"I have to see this," Shadee said, arching up as much as he could.

"Hmm?" Merluvlee said, tilting her head. "What is it?"

"I have a personal theory about what they look like under those masks," he said somewhat giddily.

Peach came downstairs, holding out the mask as if she was baiting Death Guy. "Come along now…if you want your mask back."

"All right, all right!" he said submissively. When he saw everyone staring at his maskless face, he froze in place.

"I knew it!" Shadee exclaimed. "I was right on the mark."

"Shut up!" Death Guy cried, turning around and covering his face.

"Oh, just you wait until I tell the others," Shadee laughed. "Say, where are the others anyway?"

"Some dead until further notice," Zelda said, glancing at her mother.

"What?"

"Sarasaland authorities are coming here to pick you up soon," Zelda continued. "The rest of your soldiers are being held by Nimbus Land authorities until they arrive."

"You'll have time to repent to the stars above," Merlee said, putting her hand on Zelda's shoulder. "Such a sinner as you could never have my love."

"Nor I," Merluvlee said, taking Zelda's hand on her other side. "Besides, we've already revealed ourselves to him."

"Him?" Shadee said, with disbelief and confusion.

"Yes, him," Merluvlee said firmly.

"Um…" Peach began.

"Don't bother," Zelda shook her head, rolling her eyes.

"Well, I guess I should be saying goodbye then," Shadee said smugly. "See ya!" Nothing happened. "Hey, what's going on?"

"Mother is keeping you from using any magic," Zelda smiled. "There's no way out of this one."

"Please, just give me back my mask," Death Guy whined.

"Just sit in the corner and be quiet," Peach said. Once Death Guy took his place in the corner and hung his head, Peach sat on the bed farthest from everyone else, keeping her back to them.

Zelda looked over at Peach with slight guilt. "Mother, are you able to do anything about the Boos?" Zelda asked. "The ghosts that were defeated earlier."

"(They will be back in approximately one hour,)" Ingrid answered. "(If their presence is truly necessary, I can bring them back anytime at the expense of my concentration. By the way, you should apologize to Peach.)"

Zelda frowned at the fact that Ingrid had said that in front of everyone, even though it was Hylian. "What about you?"

("What about me?")

"If I'm going to, shouldn't you as well?" Zelda asked, folding her arms. "You weren't terribly nice either."

"(First of all, I'm not her friend. You are. Second, I _hate_ her. And third, I wasn't the one who insulted her by calling her an idiot.)" Zelda saw Malon gasp silently and give her a look of disapproval. Malon walked to Peach, gently took her by the hand and led her out of the room.

"Is something wrong, my dear Sheik?" Merluvlee asked Zelda.

"Dhat iz not Sheik," Ingrid spoke with her Hylian accent still intact. "Dhat iz Zelda, in Sheik wear. Sheik iz in oda place."

Merluvlee and Merlee's eyes were wide and they gave Zelda a quick look over before stepping back a respectable distance.

"Ha, ha, ha!" Shadee laughed. "Guess we learned something new about you two." When he began laughing too much, Ingrid's power began to squeeze his throat until he could not breathe. He got the message and stopped laughing at once.

"Are you familiar with this language?" Zelda asked with an eyebrow raised.

"A little," Ingrid replied. "Enoff to onderstand ond speak basic talk."

"Merlee, Merluvlee," Zelda said. "May I speak to you upstairs?"

* * *

"Seek the help of a Faceless One, eh?" Merluvlee said, as they sat around a table.

"Well, you sought the right people; that is no doubt," Merlee said. "Now, let's see what these supposed riddles are about."

"Well, here is the next one," Zelda said, taking out the scroll. "It reads, 'Hero to some, villain to others. Her presence waxes and wanes like the moon and sun. To break her Oath to Order would be a curse upon herself; doomed to the graveyard of the stars, like her bastard daughter.' Now, Geno mentioned to me what the Oath to Order is. He said that is was an ancient holy rule respected by nearly all non-mortals. Breaking it always garners some form of punishment. Do you suppose the Wanderer broke the Oath?"

"It certainly does seem that way," Merluvlee said. "Sis, what do you think about 'the graveyard of the stars?' Does it have any meaning to you?"

"Oh, yes, the graveyard of the stars," Merlee answered. "It is in places all around us, both nears and far. The trouble is to exactly where she is. And I'm afraid locations are not my biz."

"Well, I'll see if I can give this a shot," Merluvlee said, concentrating. The room darkened and strange lights began to dance along the walls, floor, and ceiling. The owner of the inn silently watched in awe.

"I have much more psychedelic spells," Merlee whispered to Zelda. "Compared to my effects, hers are just whistles and bells."

"Ah, I've got it," Merluvlee said, ending the light show. "The stars are telling me that the Wanderer was involved in a war many centuries ago in Birabuto, back before Sarasaland existed as a united kingdom. You will find something of interest in the Temple of Hanayaka"

"Thank you," Zelda said. "And sorry for the mix-up."

"Would you happen to know where Sheik is?" Merluvlee asked.

"I'm afraid only my mother can tell you that," Zelda said, walking out the door. "She apparently has some knowledge of this language, so you might be able to ask her."

She walked outside and found one of the townsfolk ambling by. "Excuse me, Miss?"

"Yes?" the cloud woman said.

"Did you see Princess Toadstool and a redheaded…um…elf come this way?"

"Actually, they left the town," she said, pointing to the entry hole. "But I'm sure they didn't go far."

"Where could they have gone?" Zelda asked herself, jumping down the hole. On the next cloud, there was a spring that would propel her back into town. There were two holes here. One led to the series of beanstalks down to Bean Valley. She had not used the other and was curious as to wear it led. She could hear the calm whine of an engine below, though. She decided to jump down the unexplored hole.

Once she landed, she saw Nimbus guards standing at a gate of thorns. The source of the engine noise was a hovering Sarasaland transport ship, specifically the stealth variety she and Peach had used during that undercover mission in Mushroom City. She looked around the ship and saw a couple Chai guards as well as half a dozen Nokobon. All of them seemed completely bored. When they saw her looking at them, they all dully pointed to the gate. The Nimbus guards made no objections when she approached to get a better look at the other side.

She just saw more cloud and more Nimbus-style buildings made of leaves and thorns. In fact, they may have actually been a single large building. She could not see anyone, but she could hear voices.

"Ha, ha, ha!" Peach giggled. "Feels good, doesn't it?"

"Mmmm," she heard Malon moan. Zelda jumped back from the gate, completely flustered.

"No…they wouldn't," Zelda said hesistantly.

"Aaahhhh…" she heard Malon again.

"Ohhhh," Peach sighed. Zelda closed her eyes and tried to clear her mind, but then she heard Peach giggling again. "Don't be afraid. Go ahead and take it off… Here, I'll go first… See, just like that. Now, your turn." Then, she heard more giggling, though she could not tell from which person it was coming from.

"Calm down," Zelda whispered to herself, getting odd looks from the soldiers around her. "It's nothing. All this stress is just making you jump to conclusions." She sighed, having fully convinced herself not to think about it and just go in.

She froze just as she heard Daisy's voice laugh, "Don't you think we make a hot threesome?" Zelda eyes widened, but she cupped her hands and took deep breaths until she was calmed once again.

But the thought was still nagging her. By now, the Nimbus guards had decided to move away from her and they went to converse with the Sarasaland guards. Zelda looked through the gate once again, but could see no one. She then moved at a better angle and saw their clothes splayed across the ground. The sound of gently splashing water signaled to her that they were in a pool of some sort. She did not bother to think about how a body of water would be able to exist on a cloud. She was beyond that sort of thinking at this point. She carefully pushed the gate open and stepped into the area.

It was a medium-sized hot spring. Daisy, Peach, and Malon were all at the other end occupying a corner in neck-high water. As Zelda walked along the water's edge, she saw three sets of undergarments. Finally, she was just out of their eyesight, but less than a foot away. "Ahem," she coughed, folding her arms.

All three turned around and were startled to see her. Peach instantly looked back down at the water, avoiding her stare. Malon glanced up at Zelda with a scowl and took Peach to the center of the water. When they moved, Zelda saw a familiar set of tights sitting just outside the corner of the pool. Sheik was staring at the corner of the pool,determined not tosee any of the girls around him. Though he did not have his tights on, he still had his headwear on.

"Hi, Zelda!" Daisy said cheerfully.

Sheik turned around after hearing her name. What little of his face that could be seen was completely red from embarrassment. "(Help…me… Please.)

"I don't know what you said," Daisy giggled. "But you're like so cute when you speak Hylian!"

"(Zelda…please,)" Sheik said meekly, sinking further into the water and wading away.

"Come on in, Zel," Daisy said. "The water's great."

"What's heating the water?" Zelda asked, looking at Malon and Peach, who were ignoring her and attempting to communicate with one another. "Lightning bolts? Collective warm air wind currents? Or is it the mood of the people?"

"What? No! It's Barrel Volcano! Duh!" Daisy laughed, not noticing Sheik slowly swim away.

"Ah, a volcano," Zelda said without thinking. "…Wait, a volcano!"

"Yeah, you know, geothermal energy heating us from below," Daisy said. "In fact, see that path over there at the edge of the cloud. If you walk off that, you'll drop straight down into Barrel Volcano. Peach's done it a few times, at least that from what I've heard."

"Hmm," Zelda said, turning her attention back to Peach and Malon, who were now splashing one another. "Sheik is getting away…"

Daisy turned to Sheik, who was a short distance away. "I am so gonna' glomp you!" She somehow surged through the water. Sheik struggled to get to the edge of the spring. Zelda could see that he was wearing shorts as he scrambled to get out of the water. Unfortunately for him, Daisy leapt out of the water like a shark and pulled him under the water with her. When they came back up, Daisy had her arms wrapped around him tightly from behind. It became obvious that she had her legs wrapped around him as well when she reached for his veil and pulled it completely off. It was easy to remove the rest of his headgear. His hair was short, unlike Zelda's, but his face looked extremely similar, not that Daisy cared. Sheik sighed in defeat, allowing Daisy to rock him in her arms. He only lowered his head into the water so that it covered everything up to his nose.

Zelda giggled slightly at the sight of her former partner in such a state. Then, her attention returned to Malon and Peach, who were both laughing at Sheik.

"(What are you waiting for?)" Ingrid asked, nearly scaring her into the water. She was standing right behind Zelda.

"Shouldn't you be restraining Shadee?"

"(I am,)" Ingrid said, showing her the butt of a cigarette that gave off a wisp of smoke.

"Isn't two in a day a bit much?" Zelda asked.

"(This is the same one from before,)" Ingrid said. "(Shouldn't you be apologizing about now?)" Zelda looked down at the cloud she stood on, sighing. "(It's not difficult.)"

"Why should I if you aren't?" Zelda asked stiffly. "Besides, she's out in the middle of the water. You don't expect me to just yell it, do you?"

"(Telekinesis, telepathy, simply going in yourself; all of these would work,)" Ingrid said. "(That girl was hurting inside before you insulted her. You're just making it worse.)"

"I'm not going in there nude," Zelda said stubbornly. "And I'm not getting my clothes wet. But you know how I don't wear a bra…" Zelda looked out onto the water and saw Malon holding Peach much in the same way she would Zelda. Then, Malon kissed her forehead, glancing up at Zelda with a dour expression on her face.

"(As weak as you are, Peach looks to you for strength,)" Ingrid said. "(She's going through a difficult time. And here you are failing her.)" There was a flash. Zelda looked toward her mother and found her clothing floating in place as if she were still in them. She turned to the water and saw Ingrid sitting in the water with her eyes closed. She put the remaining stub of her herb in her mouth and sighed as the waters soothed her.

Zelda looked at the water and then each of the people in it hesitantly. Her mother was lounging at the edge, either meditating or napping. Malon was holding Peach, gently stroking her hair. Peach was looking at the water morosely. Daisy was snuggling against Sheik. Sheik was watching Peach. He glanced at Zelda and nodded for her to go to her since he could not. Finally, Zelda fingered her collar, lurching her head toward him. He got the message and turned around. Zelda looked back at the floating clothing her mother had left.

"(It helps if you think of your clothing as air rather than material,)" Ingrid said, with her eyes still closed. Zelda closed her eyes and teleported. She was instantly immersed in the hot water, leaving her clothing back on dry cloud, though she did not bother using telekinesis to hold it in place as Ingrid was.

"Peach," she said. Malon released Peach, who looked up shyly. "I'm sorry I yelled at you like that. It was rude, mean, and unbecoming a princess and sage. Can you forgive me?"

Peach smiled a little. "Sure." She suddenly hugged Zelda, who blushed deeply. Peach finally released her and moved over to Sheik, while keeping a distance away.

"(See, was that so difficult?)" Malon asked, pulling Zelda close.

"Yes," Zelda giggled, kissing her on the cheek. "But she's been there for me so many times. My pride just gets in the way sometimes…"

"(Well, good for you two,)" Malon smiled. "(By the way, how is it that she understands all of your words, but not mine or your mother's?)"

"Just give it a few minutes more," Zelda said, lifting the Bowser necklace on Malon's neck out of the water. "So, let's catch up, shall we?"

Peach and Sheik had caught each other's gazes and were staring at one another, blushing and smiling nervously. Finally, Peach approached and tapped Daisy on the shoulder.

"Huh? What's up?" Daisy asked.

"Could I talk to Sheik?" Peach asked.

"Yes," Sheik said quickly.

"It's Mario Land all over again," Daisy sighed, releasing Sheik, who darted over to Peach. They wandered a short distance away for privacy.

"Hello, Peach," Sheik said stiffly. "Thank you for getting me jonadi from Daisy."

"Jonadi?" Peach repeated.

"Away," Sheik clarified. "That's the remainder of the barrier."

"Oh…Well, you know she's had a crush on you since she first met you."

"Yes…Well…she certainly wasn't this…affectionate before."

"That's because you were a girl," Peach giggled.

"Ah, right," Sheik nodded bashfully.

"What are you all doing here anyway?" Peach asked.

"Mostly reconnaissance. The others are policing Hyrule, rooting out as many of the major monsters we missed as possible. Needless to say, Ingrid was invaluable."

"Why is Malon here?" Peach asked. "I personally know she can use a bow and arrow…but it's still a little dangerous for her to be out here."

"She came here just to see Zelda," Sheik said. "It's somewhat of the same reason I came here as well…"

"Oh," Peach said, glancing at Zelda.

"I meant, to see you," he clarified. "I'm truly sorry about what happened to you in Hyrule with that doppelganger."

"It's okay," Peach smiled. "She explained why you feel the way you do about me. She guaranteed me that everything was from _your_ heart."

"Oh…good," he said, looking to the side. There was a silent moment until a thought came to him. "…You do mean that I love you and think very highly of your person, correct?"

"Of course."

"Just making sure…" There was another silent moment of them avoiding one another's gazes.

"Would you like to kiss me?" Peach asked sheepishly.

"…Really?" he asked, surprised. "Because I don't want you to feel un…"

She put a finger to his lips and smiled. "I'll take that as a yes." She slowly leaned forward pressed her lips to his and ended it with a smacking noise. He seemed to be stunned. Taking his hands and wrapping them around her stomach, she laid her back against him. In stunned, love-struck silence, he rested his chin on her shoulder.

"So, tell me," Zelda said to Malon as they watched Sheik and Peach. "Any reason you decided to bring him back?"

"Two, actually," Malon answered. "For one thing, he really wanted to see Peach. He felt really bad about the way she was kidnapped. The other reason is that he's the only one who has any experience in this world. Nayru gave us a way here from the Temple of Light. She warned us that it would be a dangerous place to arrive, but we would meet up with you fastest."

"How did you get captured with her around?" Zelda asked, nodding to her mother.

"Did you see the Faceless One with the mask?" Malon asked with a frown.

"No, but I think I've heard of him," Zelda said, frowning as well.

"While Sheik was scouting around, he snuck up from behind me and put a sword to my throat," she said. "There was nothing your mother could do about it. It was either surrender or risk letting me get killed. And since Peach wasn't around, she wasn't willing to risk it. Sheik went to go call for help using something called a telephone. I guess he missed you when you and Peach came here."

"Did you get a good look at the assailant?"

"No, but your mother did." Then, they saw Daisy walking at the edge of the water, now back in her shirt and shorts. She looked a tad peeved.

"All right, everybody!" she called out. "It's time to go!" Ingrid reappeared in her clothing, somehow completely dry, and walked out the gate. Malon and Zelda went to the water's edge and started putting their clothing back on.

"Looks like we'll have to get out now," Peach said to Sheik, who let her go. "When we're alone again, I'll have something to tell you." She gave him tight hug and kissed him before getting out. Sheik was left with a bright red face.

"What's the hold up Sheik?" Daisy grinned. "Aren't you coming with us?"

Sheik was at the edge of the water and about to climb out, but he decided to stay put. "…Actually, I'll just catch up."

"What's wrong?" Peach asked, standing out of the pool in front of him.

"Gah!" Sheik yelped, submerging himself as much as possible. Peach looked around to see what had scared him. Then, it hit her and she swept up her clothes as quickly as possible.

* * *

Once everyone had arrived at Li Wei, Ingrid escorted the prisoners to the military base, where she hoped to get some more information. Daisy took the others out to dinner, where both Zelda and Malon truly enjoyed their meals. By the time they finished, it was getting late. While Merlee and Merluvlee went to look for a crystal ball so that they could contact their family, the others returned to the castle, where they encountered Ingrid and Syrup in the main hall.

"What's up?" Daisy asked.

"This lady here," Syrup said, laying a hand on Ingrid's shoulder, "is a tactical genius. We've got a battle plan and everything."

"Battle plan?"

"For taking back the Mushroom Kingdom and then the assault on the Dark Land," Ingrid said. "After looking at the current state of things, I've concluded that those are the only two targets that are absolutely essential to success. All other strongholds will fall soon after as a result."

"Then, let's start tomorrow," Peach said adamantly.

"You're doing it again," Zelda sighed.

"The plan won't be ready for implementation for at least two weeks," Ingrid said. "We have to return to Hyrule and ready the soldiers there."

"Why we?" Malon asked.

"And not just you?" Sheik added. "With all due respect of course."

"Malon, it's too dangerous here for you," Ingrid said. "You are indispensable. I'm hoping that you will be able to help me resurrect the dead sages."

"I don't think we need a repeat of that particular saga," Sheik said, narrowing his eyes as Zelda did the same.

"Indeed," Ingrid nodded. "However, I believe there may be a method of bringing them back that can bypass their madness without immediately requiring Peach…or possibly her mother. It will require both Malon and myself to perform, though."

"Sounds interesting," Zelda said, glancing at Sheik.

"And I want Sheik with me because…" Ingrid hesitated.

"Because?" Daisy said.

"…_Uncle_ Sheik is more popular among the Sheikah than I am," Ingrid said with slight difficulty.

"I told you he was related," Zelda muttered to Malon.

"Unfortunately," Ingrid continued, "not all Sheikah are dead. There are actually quite a few living beyond the mountains. They are needed for their skills."

"Why unfortunately?" Malon asked.

"Whereas Sheik is a legendary, decorated war hero of Sheikah fame," Ingrid frowned slightly, "I am merely a footnote of Hylian fame and a figure of mockery among my own people. It has to do with my affiliation with the Cult of Oni. I'm sorry the whole lot of them weren't killed in the war."

"I see," Sheik nodded, smiling slightly under his veil.

"That and the combat vehicles we're using," Syrup said, "aren't finished yet. Besides, you haven't found the Wanderer yet."

"We're working on it," Zelda said, while Peach got a bit sullen.

"I know we're on a schedule," Malon said, "but would it be all right if we could spend the night here?"

"It's fine by me," Daisy said.

"Yes, that is fine," Ingrid nodded. "Unless Nayru or one of the other Goddesses decides to go out of Her way for us, we'll have to exit the same way we entered this dimension. At any rate, I enjoy the food here, as well as the lavatory and bathing facilities."

"Thank you!" Malon cheered.

"But we will still have to get up early," Ingrid insisted. "I'd suggest you go to bed immediately."

"All right, then," Daisy said. "Let me show you your rooms."

"If it's all right with you," Malon said, taking Zelda's hand, "we'd like to share our room."

"But her room only has one bed," Daisy said, confused. There was an awkward silence as Peach and Malon giggled slightly. "Oh…"

"It's not what you think," Zelda said quickly.

"This is so going onto my site," Daisy chuckled, pacing away a short distance. "Princess Zelda, a les…" She suddenly tripped over herself and hit the floor hard. "Ow…"

"Must be bad karma," Syrup shrugged. "I'll see you all…whenever. See ya in two weeks, Ing." She walked up the stairs.

"Okay, then," Daisy sighed, getting to her feet. "How about you Sheik? Or would you prefer to share a room with me?"

"Actually, Sheik," Peach began, "would you like to sleep with me?"

Sheik swallowed hard and turned red, while Daisy, Malon, and Zelda giggled.

Zelda spoke up, "Perhaps you would like to reword that?"

"Oh, you know what I mean!" Peach scolded lightheartedly.

"Are you sure?" Sheik asked. "After what happened?"

"Yep," she beamed.

"Uh…okay," he said, as she took him by his hand and led him upstairs.

"Oh, well," Daisy sighed. "Maybe Luigi will ask me out one of these days…scratch that, years. Anyway, Zel, Mal, I don't have any problems with same-sex relationships. I'm just a little surprised that you two are…" She suddenly slipped up and landed on her back. "Stupid floor."

"I'm not a lesbian," Zelda said, trying not to laugh at her. "Neither is she."

"Yeah," Malon chimed in. "We just sleep together, kiss each other on the mouth, and get really intimate with one another. Sometimes we do all of it naked. It's the platonic way we make love, not war." Zelda smiled and shook her head at the way Malon had purposely worded everything.

"Oh, come on," Daisy shook her head, slowly climbing to her feet. "It doesn't get much gayer than that. Are you sure you aren't in the closet." She slipped badly, with her legs clear off the floor in a flip, and landed on her face. "Darn it."

"Goodnight Malon, Zelda," Ingrid said, jingling some keys. "Syrup already gave me a room."

"Goodnight," Malon and Zelda said, walking to help up Daisy.

As Ingrid walked away, Zelda saw her look back at her and wink with a small smile. Zelda returned the smile with a giggle, whispering, "Thank you, Mother."

* * *

After Peach had washed up, she let Sheik use her shower. While he washed, she hand-washed his clothes in the kitchen sink and hung them up to dry. She returned to her bedroom just as Sheik exited the bathroom. While she wore her long pink heart-pattern cotton pajamas, he wore long blue cotton pajamas loaned to him as a royal guest. He stood back while she got into bed, sitting up.

"Get in," she said, making room for him.

He was about to ask her if she was sure, but he simply looked at the happy, expectant expression on her face and knew that there was no point in asking. He climbed into bed, while leaving a respectable amount of space between them. She responded by pulling him close to her and giving him a quick kiss.

"Heh…You've gotten a bit more brazen, haven't you?" he chuckled nervously.

"That's what happens when someone tells you their true feelings," Peach smiled. "Just to be sure though, and maybe to loosen you up, tell me… Why do you love me?"

"Oh, where to begin?" he smiled. "You're kind to a fault, strong enough to fend off even the greatest threats, courageous enough to brave the depths of the Shadow Temple alone, pure hearted enough to defeat an evil spirit with a kiss… There's really no end to your merits. I mean, look at you…" He began to stroke her cheek. "You're so beautiful and full of life, but strong and determined when you need to be. I'm sure by now, you've helped Zelda through another crisis. Without you, this whole quest would have failed long ago." As she began to blush, he smiled even more and felt the fuzzy feelings grow at his core. "You're absolutely perfect, Peach."

"No, I'm not," she flushed, looking away from him. She had not expected to become so bashful herself. She was really feeling hot in the face. "I'm really naïve sometimes and Zelda gets mad when I go easy on our enemies."

"That's not such a bad thing," he said, gently turning her face back toward him. "Naiveté is a mark of innocence, purity. You just have that childlike wonder that so many men and women lack. And showing mercy is a virtue, not a flaw. The only flaw I ever see in you is that you suffer so quietly, sometimes unnoticeably. I hate it when you do that, even if you're only trying to keep others from hurting. I want to always be there for you, to help you through every burden that comes your way. You have no idea how much it pains me when I know I have to leave you, especially tonight. For once, my enemies have done me a slight favor in explaining my feelings for me. I was able to touch you, to hold you… You knew it would be easy for me to take advantage of you while you were nude, nay, at this very moment. But still you trust in me. There are no words for that…" Peach began to notice tears in his eyes.

"Sheik?"

"I want to be with you forever," he said, wiping away a rolling tear. "I want to be there when you're happy, when you're sad, when you're angry, hurting, or even at peace. I want to raise children with you. I want to grow old with you. I want to die with you. Do you…Do you understand what I'm saying?" he asked, taking her hands.

"Yes," she nodded, becoming choked up herself.

"Then…will you accept me?" he pleaded. "Will you be with me? I might as well ask…will you marry me?"

She was expecting something along those lines, though she had not expected him to ask the big question. Her mind was a jumble and it was difficult to speak. "I…I…Sheik…I" Tears collected her eyes as her throat tightened.

"Princess…I love you… Do you love me? Can you love me?"

She looked around, as if she could find an answer lying around the room. Every time, her eyes returned to his hopeful gaze. Then, she looked into her own heart with her eyes closed. She opened them and looked into his pleading, begging scarlet eyes once again. "Yes…Yes, I love you, Sheik!" she finally answered.

"Oh! Oh, thank the Goddesses!" he said, embracing her and kissing her. She returned his kisses readily, even going so far as to lock her lips with his and, for the first time, use her tongue. They stroked one another vigorously and tenderly all at once. They sought to touch as much as possible and feel one another. In their passion, they ran out of breath quickly, but continued on, only pausing briefly for single gasps of air. He held her to himself so tightly that she felt a familiar wave of exhilaration come over her and her breathing quickened. This feeling was similar to an adrenaline rush, but different. She had remembered experiencing something like it on numerous occasions. As Sheik continued to kiss her, squeeze her, and stroke her, her memory struck her like a lightning bolt.

"Sheik…wait!" Peach said and he instantly pulled away.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, still breathing heavily. "We don't ever have to have relations if you don't want to, but I'm just so happy and excited and…Wait…What is it?"

"I can't marry you," she said, also panting. "Not yet."

"But…why?" he asked, bewildered. She closed her mouth, while still breathing heavily. She lowered her head and looked up at him somewhat shamefully. "If it's because Bowser is your legal husband, then…"

"It's not that," Peach shook her head.

Sheik took a moment to calm down and think to himself. "Oh. Him."

"Mario," Peach said, frowning. The name stung Sheik's ears. "Sheik, I'm sorry…but I can't… Not yet… I have to make sure he's all right… I have to see him again… When this horrible war is over…then I'll be able to make my decision."

"Does he love you?" Sheik asked. Peach frowned and looked down at the bed again. "I see… Well, finding out is half the fun," he laughed weakly.

"Thank you for understanding," Peach smiled, wiping away another tear. She hugged him and gave him a softer kiss. "I truly appreciate it."

"The pleasure's all mine, Peach," Sheik answered, lying down as she draped herself across his chest and held a loose embrace on him. "The pleasure's all mine."


	18. The Forbidden Curses

**The Forbidden Curses**

The journey to Birabuto had begun. Daisy had volunteered to fly a standard transport ship there. Both Merlee and Merluvlee had volunteered to come along so that they could help decipher any riddles that might be encountered. Despite the mission ahead of them, all eyes were on Peach.

She wore a light pink dress, another one made just for the desert. However, she also wore earrings, pink lipstick, and even some purple eye shadow. When Zelda, who simply wore a dress, had chided her for overdressing, Peach completely ignored her. Everyone could see from the smile on her face that her mind was on other things. Zelda and Daisy had seen her goodbye to Sheik firsthand. Peach was replaying it over and over in her mind.

She had slept very well last night, but she awakened when she felt Sheik's absence. Not bothering to change, she had immediately run out her room to the main hall. There she had found Daisy and Zelda, also still in their pajamas, seeing off Ingrid, Malon, and Sheik. Malon and Zelda were already embracing one another. The redhead was in the middle of giving her a simple kiss, despite Zelda's concern about the odd looks they were getting from Daisy and the few other people awake at sunrise. Without slowing her sprint at all, Peach had leapt into Sheik's arms. Peach sighed to herself with a blush as she remembered the way he had gazed into her eyes. He had purposely attempted to leave without her knowing. Seeing him on the verge of crying, she pulled away his veil and kissed him deeply. She sighed giddily as she remembered the feeling of him picking her up because of their slight height difference. She had wrapped her legs around him to make it easier and kissed him until they were both out of breath. Only then did they have the chance to see the shocked looks they were getting. Zelda and Malon were staring, still in the middle of their own would-be-short kiss, but frozen in place. Ingrid had a momentary appearance of honest surprise, but quickly extinguished it and looked elsewhere. Daisy's jaw had dropped open to its fullest extent. Peach and Sheik had blushed immediately, but quickly resumed their kissing session.

Even now, Daisy had remained quiet about it. In fact, she hadn't talked at all. Then, Peach realized that everyone on the ship was giving her strange looks again. She blushed, but instead of hiding it, she laughed with a wide smile. She soon drifted back into her wonderful thoughts.

* * *

Morel watched the transport ship fly by through her binoculars. She stood atop a hill near the border between Easton and Chai. She had gained a little weight in the short while she had been away from Peach, but in a good way, though her stomach was slightly bigger.She was slightly stronger, yet also slightly curvier. She and Drow had both changed in similar, yet subtle ways, not that anyone would immediately notice. Her hair was weaved into a ponytail that was longer than and different from the kind Peach occasionally had. She wore a gray shirt and brown shorts with a faded black backpack to match the dull landscape of Easton. Even some of the dirt was gray. She was well aware of what they were up to, but they did not matter right now. She already had priorities. She had heard that there were ancient ruins in her current area that supposedly had the information she was looking for. Thus far, the internet had provided mostly garbage sites and useless lore. A few visits to certain archaeologists and etymologists had directed her here.

She took out her map and compass. After a few quick calculations, she saw that she was standing on the exact spot where the ruins were. She looked around in slight confusion. The landscape around her was mostly made up of rolling hills. The nearest floating platforms, cliffs, and mountain bases were at least five miles away. She shrugged and planted a small bomb on the hill where she stood. She jumped away and floated in the air, detonating the bomb at a safe distance. The explosion kicked up more dust than she had expected. Once it cleared, she saw a gaping hole in the ground.

"Well, what do ya know?" she whispered, floating down into the hole. Once she touched down, she lit a flare stick to light the way. It was indeed the ruins, though it appeared to be a single chamber. The rock walls were glittery, but otherwise unnoteworthy. There was a single mural on one wall. She smiled when she recognized the pattern. It was a picture of the Triforce on the red Hylian Phoenix. She touched the mural and the Triforce glowed gold. The center, upside-down, triangle of the holy relic shined white. She reached into her backpack and pulled out a lead box. Averting her eyes, she opened the box towards the Triforce and shut it quickly. When she looked at the Triforce, the white center had turned black, as had the rest of the walls. The phoenix, no longer red, faded back and forth between shining white and yellow. It seemed as if the Triforce was now a part of the phoenix, while still somewhat separate.

She began to hear whispers around her. She turned her back on the mural and looked into the impenetrable darkness. Her flare was smothered in the darkness. Only the sunlight shining down on her from the hole in the ceiling provided any light. She could tell that something was either reaching or growing out of the black walls.

"What purpose have ye here?" a heavy, raspy voice said from all around her.

"I seek to…spite…yes, spite an enemy of your master," Morel spoke.

"In what manner?" the voice asked. "My master has been sealed for nearly a thousand years. Soon, that seal will break. Already it is weakening. I sense someone has arranged events to our favor."

"The Wanderer…"

"Curse that name!" it spat.

"Okay… Yeah, so anyway, there were certain rules she helped set into place and maintained for this world. I intend to remove them."

The being came forward into the light. It was a purple being of shadow. It hadthe upper body of a humanoid, though its lower body, devoid of legs, seemed to stretch into the darkness. It had a mouth, but it's long black hair obscured its eyes, if it had any. It did not seem solid, but not quite ectoplasmic as a ghost would. It seemed to be looking her over.

"You are not a servant our Queen!" it hissed, retreating into the darkness. "Why would ye have any alliance with her Ladyship? Ye are a being of the light!"

"I have my reasons," Morel answered grimly. "Salvation…mercy…happiness. That's why I'm doing this."

"We do not trust you," it growled.

"I risked my own safety coming down here and resurrecting you with this Dark Matter," Morel said, growing impatient. "Wouldn't your Queen prefer to see her enemy already spitted on, figuratively speaking? What do you have to lose by telling me what I want to know?"

"Hmm…" There were more whispers in the darkness. "What ye wish to know is unspeakable, unwritable, even unreadable in this world…but not unknowable. It is impossible to tell you, however. The cursed knowledge is bound to our souls. Were we able to go to the land where the Golden Triangles are hidden, we would more easily…"

"Did you say it's bound to your souls?" Morel asked, walking and touching one of the black walls.

"Yes, why?"

* * *

The Gerudo Fortress was busier than usual. Ever since Peach and Zelda had left Hyrule a month ago, everyone was up to something. The children were all undergoing extensive training in horseback archery. The older trainees were in the Training Grounds. So as not to burn out, they worked in shifts and took required breaks.

One such Gerudo was pacing back and forth in her room. She had short hair and wore a white vest and pants, with a pink shirt. It was one of the nicer, more private rooms in the fortress. There were pots of water and dried goods all along one wall. There were cabinets, chests, and even a few feathered bull skulls hanging on the walls. There was a large, soft bed as well, a rarity for Gerudos. It was not her own status that provided the relatively luxurious accommodations, but that of her spouse.

"Hey there, Miniku," said person greeted her, walking in.

"Oh!" she jumped. "Hi, Sofuru. You scared me."

"Just passing through," Sofuru said, digging through one of the chests. "How're the kids?"

"They're in the training grounds," Miniku answered nervously. "Um, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at that ranch?"

"Yeah, but I wanted to check on you," Sofuru said, still looking through the chest. "That and I need a few more supplies. You know, money, books, soap. Why? Am I interrupting something?"

"Not really," she said, walking over to Sofuru. "I just wasn't expecting you. I'd really appreciate it if you'd tell me when you were coming. Then, I could arrange something for us to do."

Sofuru found what she needed and stood up. She held Miniku close. "I know. This whole situation's getting to us all. But it should be over soon enough. Just hang in there for me, okay?"

"All right," Miniku nodded. Sofuru smiled and was about to walk out.

"You know, there've been a lot of men showing up at the ranch," she smirked. "Since I'm so busy, you should consider trying to become a messenger. They get plenty of downtime on their travels. I'm sure you must be feeling pretty deprived. Go ahead and get out there. Who knows? Maybe you'll be able to have a child of your own blood."

"Thanks," Miniku blushed. "I'll…I'll think about it." Sofuru waved as she left. There was suddenly a flash of green and Drow appeared sitting on her bed. She wore the clothing of a standard Gerudo in purple, but had her hair loose.

"Deprived, eh?" Drow chuckled.

"That was too close," Miniku sighed.

"So, what do you have for me?" Drow asked.

"I'm not sure we should do this anymore," Miniku said, frowning. "It's not like before. Everyone knows there's a fake Zelda around. I could get in a lot of trouble…"

Drow stood up and wrapped an arm around Miniku's waist. "That's never stopped you before."

Miniku blushed and arched away from her. "It's different now."

Drow took her by her chin and turned her toward her. "Let's not be hasty. Do you have information or don't you?"

"…A little," she said hesitantly. "Do you remember that week when a banshee was screaming curses in the night?"

"Very much so," Drow snickered. "Why?"

"Did you notice that some of them weren't in any modern language?"

"Yes."

"That's because her words were of an ancient language, or at least they seemed to be. If you can translate those words into either Hylian or some other language called Romaji, you should have what you want."

"Thank you, Mini," Drow said, leaning in close and stroking her cheek. "What shall it be today?"

"…Nothing," Miniku said, moving her hand and stepping away.

"Excuse me?"

"I don't want that anymore," she said, shaking her head. "I've been feeling terrible about it and I never know when you or Sofi are going to show up. I'd appreciate it if you'd leave and never come back."

"Hmm… Now, just for my pride's sake, it's your conscience and not me, correct?"

"Oh, you're good," Miniku blushed. "You can be sure of that. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you've gotten a little more voluptuous. But I just can't keep this up. It's too dishonest."

"Fair enough," Drow shrugged. "I hope you and your fingers have fun." With that said, Drow disappeared.

Miniku blushed and looked a bit peeved. "Let's see about that messenger job…"

* * *

Morel levitated out of the hole slightly disappointed, yet perplexed at the same time. Before she could dwell on her new knowledge, Drow contacted her via telepathy.

"_Dearest, how goes everything?"_

"_Fine, I guess,"_ Morel replied, sitting by the hole. "_I found what we're looking for."_

"_Isn't that a coincidence? As did I,"_ Drow noted. "_Apparently, Zelda spouted everything we needed to know in Kakariko. I've begun translating and I'm surprised and disappointed all at once. How about you?"_

"_About the same,"_ Morel shrugged. "_I found a few Shadows that had what we needed. The problem now is how do we use it? There's some kind of…thing that won't let me say any of it. They mentioned something about saying it in the land of the Golden Triangles. Do they mean Hyrule?"_

"_I doubt it. Were that true, we wouldn't have to do anything. It seems to be a self-contained seal in the Mushroom World, but it has no effect in Hyrule. Perhaps they mean the Golden Land?"_

"…_Yeah!"_ Morel replied in a stroke of realization. "_It's the nexus. Why wouldn't it work? Good going, Honey!"_

"_Thank you, Muffin,"_ Drow giggled. "_Now, about Smiley…"_

"_I haven't found any proof that he's involved in what's been going on,"_ Morel answered. "_Either he's totally innocent or he's just really crafty. Besides, I don't think he's even part of the 8-Bits Club. Why would he work with them like that? What about the Happy Mask Salesman? I can make a connection there."_

"_I don't know. But you know how creepy Smiley can be… What's the status of Peach and Zelda?"_

"_They're heading out to the next Wanderer memorial. They'll figure out where she is soon. I'll be keeping an eye on them. You find out what you can about Smiley and carry out Her Majesty's wishes, okay?"_

"_Of course, Snookums.Love you."_

"_Kisses."_ Morel reached into her backpack and pulled out a Warp Whistle. She played the required notes and disappeared.

* * *

Drow teleported into the land of Calatia. It was Hyrule's northeastern neighboring country beyond the mountain range. She changed her outfit into that of the standard blue and black Sheikah shorts, a bandaged torso, and a blue shawl with the Eye of Truth on the back. This side of the mountains opened into a hilly valley. There were numerous scattered houses throughout it. At the current time of day, the mountains cast a large shadow over the entire valley. This was the secret Sheikah village that not even Calatians knew about.

Drow walked slowly through the quiet village until she came across a house with a dead tree beside it. There didn't seem to be anybody outside, which was typical for this time of day. As far as she knew, Sheikah had a bad habit of sleeping in after staying up through the night. She knocked on the door and received no answer.

"Typical," Drow groaned. She banged harder on the door.

"A little early, don't you think?" a voice came from behind her. She about-faced and saw the man standing behind her. A black mask covered his mouth and he wore a blue bandanna over his head. The rest of his body was covered in bandages, with a black shirt and shorts over them. One eye was purple and the other was red.

"It's a quarter to noon," Drow frowned. "I don't have a lot of time to chitchat, so let's get down to business."

"Sorry to disappoint you," he chuckled, "but I'm afraid Jonga and I couldn't find anything about these curse words you've been looking for. So, I suppose we won't…"

"It's fine," she said quickly, producing a piece of paper with a sketch on it. "Have you seen this person around by any chance?"

"Let's see, now," he said, taking the paper. "Looks like a Garo with a Phanto Mask. I'd remember something like that. You looking for someone?"

"Yes. We suspect he may be up to no good…or at least less good than is acceptable."

"Speaking of which, where is old Mory?" he asked, looking around.

"Doing more important things," Drow said, putting the sketch away. "And I have other priorities as well, so…" He suddenly appeared in front of her.

"Now, hold on there," he said, leaning in over her uncomfortably close. "I believe you owe us some sort of payment."

"Morel's not available right now, Firango," she said, backing away nervously.

"Well, now, don't sell yourself short," he said, walking toward her. "I'm sure you'd do just as nicely. We don't have any problems with you, do we boys?"

"Not as curvy as I'd like, but she'll do," one ninja-esque man on the roof said.

"She's no Morel, but whatever," said another previously unnoticed man, standing behind her.

"Yeah, Morel was great just to look at," yet another man said, walking out of the door.

"Boys, boys!" Drow said nervously, raising her hands, still moving away. "Did you ever consider that I might just pay you with money?"

"And what are we supposed to do with that?" Firango asked, stopping to put his hands on his hips. "We live a nice peaceful life out here. No wars, no monsters, no Royal Families sending you to your death in battle; it's perfectly simple and clean. And money would just bring all of that bad stuff back. So, what do ya say? Meanwhile, all the pretty girls are out in the city picking up supplies, leaving us out here to hold the fort down. We may be good at going without any action for a while, but it doesn't mean we prefer abstinence."

"I…I can't!" she said, waving her hands slightly.

"Back off, guys," a female voice said. It was a young woman sitting in the dead tree. She was merely in shorts and bandages around her torso. She had sky blue hair tied into a knot and the same eyes as Firango.

"Oh, come on, Jonga!" one of them complained.

"I have business with her," she said boredly. "Besides, Morel will be back, won't she?"

"I'm sure she won't mind," Drow nodded.

"So, shoo!" she said to the men. Grumbling, they all walked away.

"Whew!" Drow sighed. "Thank you."

"I found that guy you were looking for," Jonga said, dropping down from the tree. "But only because he wanted me to find him. I came across him in a bat cave near the Shadow Temple. Apparently, he knows that you've been coming out here for info."

"Oh, really?" Drow raised an eyebrow.

"He wants you to meet him at, as he referred to it, 'the base above the base,' whatever that means," she continued. "He wants to discuss something with you and your girlfriend. He guarantees you'll be interested."

"Thanks for the info," Drow smiled. "Your assistance is much appreciated. I might as well tell you that another of my intelligence sources is suggesting that Ingrid and Sheik will be coming here soon to recruit the Sheikah."

"Ice Queen Ing?" Jonga asked with a humored smirk. "She should be a good laugh. I remember the way Mom, Dad, and the others would mess with that bitch, and the way she'd poison us with her horrible cooking. Ah…memories."

"Sheik will be there, too," Drow said. "_The_ Sheik."

"That's just impossible," Jonga said dismissively. "He's been dead for over fifty years. Besides, even if he were to come back, why would a hero like him hang out with a nobody like Ing?"

"Don't underestimate her," Drow said seriously. "If anything she's more dangerous _and_ skilled than Sheik."

Suddenly, there was laughter coming from all around Drow. Everyone in earshot was laughing, even though the area had seemed quiet and completely empty only minutes ago. Even children and the elderly were leaning out their windows and doorways to laugh. Nearly the whole village had been listening in on her through sheer Sheikah stealth. Drow's face turned red with embarrassment. She turned to leave.

"Wait, wait!" Jonga said, grabbing her and trying to stifle her own laughter.

"What is it?" Drow growled.

"You still owe me for the other intel I gave you," Jonga said, pulling her toward the house. She gazed at Drow cutely, exaggeratedly fluttering her eyelashes.

Drow was caught by surprise, but she shrugged, "Now, that I can do."

"Could you do that transformation thing, though?" Jonga asked as they walked inside.

"Pardon?"

"Turn into Sheik," she said, leaning against her. "It'll be like every girl's dream…"

* * *

"Sheik…" Peach sighed, still caught in her daydreams.

"Peach, snap out of it!" Zelda said, snapping her fingers in her face.

"Huh?"

"We're here," Zelda said, pointing to the ramp leading outside the ship. The Shamans were already outside. Daisy walked out of the pilot's cabin, escorted by two guards. She turned her nose up at Peach.

"What's wrong with her?" Peach asked without a clue.

"Figure it out," Zelda said bluntly, pulling her along.

Once they were out in the desert air, they saw themselves in front of the entrance to a massive pyramid. There was a sphinx lying on all fours beside the entrance waiting for them. Unlike the last such creature they had met, this one seemed much kindlier, if still a little bored since there was no one else around. She had white eyes and Cleopatra-like hair.

"Oh, visitors!" she said, standing up and bowing her head. "Welcome to the Temple of Hanayaka! Oh, Princess Daisy! It's nice to see you again!"

"Hey, Cleo," Daisy said, bowing her head as well. "Is Bob off today?"

"He's using sick leave to care for his son," Cleo replied. "The poor thing caught the chills in the night. Are these good people with you?"

"Yeah," Daisy said dully. "Princess Zelda, Merlee, Merluvlee, and Princess Cherry Pop."

"Royalty!" Cleo said in an astonished voice. "Princess Cherry Pop looks an awful lot like that Mushroom Princess."

"Daisy," Peach whispered. "Could I talk with you for a minute?"

"Just a sec," Daisy said to Cleo. She and Peach walked behind the ship. "What do you want?" she asked, folding her arms.

"You're upset with me," Peach frowned. "What did I do wrong?"

"Oh, I don't know," Daisy rolled her eyes. "Maybe it's because you stole another one from me _and_ you cheated on Mario."

"I didn't steal anybody from you!" Peach gasped. "And I did not cheat on Mario! We're not even involved that way."

"You know, I really expected better of you Peach," Daisy scolded her, tapping her foot. "I was supposed to be the one to give it up first, not you."

"What?"

"I mean, I know I like totally talk a big game and everything, but even I would have some class about it. You don't just go doing the splits like that."

"You're saying something, but I'm not understanding what," Peach said, getting angry.

"Let me make it simple for you," Daisy growled. "You gave up your virginity, before me, to Sheik, _my_ hottie!"

"I did not!" Peach raised her voice. "That's outrageous!"

"Then, how do you explain that smug look on your face all this morning?" Daisy interrogated her.

"Because I'm in love!" Peach said, inadvertently giggling with a blush. She was annoyed at herself for her involuntary giggling. It quickly stopped as she continued more calmly, "And I know I love Mario, too… That's why I didn't do anything with Sheik. That's why I didn't accept his marriage proposal!"

Daisy was taken by surprise. "He proposed to you?"

"Mmhmm," Peach answered, giggling once again, but shaking it off to show that she was serious. "I know you might think things about me after seeing us kiss, but it was just a kiss."

"Oh, that's bull," Daisy shook her head.

"Okay, a long kiss," Peach admitted, "but still just a kiss."

"You were making out!" Daisy exclaimed.

"I wouldn't' say all that…"

"You were totally necking each other," Daisy said. "And you were frenching. Frenching, Peach!"

"Well…" Peach stammered, blushing, "You seem like you wouldn't be bothered by something like that."

"My jaw would have like hit the floor if it weren't connected to my face," Daisy said, tapping her foot again. "Malon and Zelda froze mid-kiss staring at you two. You were moaning! _Moaning_, Peach!"

"Well……it wasn't that long," Peach said with difficulty.

"Oh, sure. Half an hour isn't such a long time," Daisy rolled her eyes again in sarcasm.

"Half an hour!" Peach yelped. "Why would you let us go on that long if it bothered…?"

"When Zelda's mom tried to pull you two apart, you punched her in the eye!"

"No…" Peach shook her head in disbelief.

"PUNCHED her in the EYE!" Daisy jumped excitedly. "You're just lucky I have _some_ sort of healing ability. She didn't show it, but you could tell she was ready to tear into you. She had enough control of herself to walk outside. But with my lame healing magic, she still walked out with a black eye. A BLACK…!"

"All right, I get it!" Peach shouted. "I'm a bad friend and a bad person! I don't deserve Sheik, you, Zelda, Mario, and all my other great friends! I…I just couldn't help myself… It…It just felt so good, but without being wrong like…you know…M-rated stuff. The only person who's made me feel like that was Mario and I didn't even kiss him like that, but that's because Bowser was right about…" She caught herself and stopped immediately.

"Right about what?" Daisy asked, tilting her head.

"Um…nothing," Peach said nervously. "But can you forgive me? I don't want to lose a friend over something like this…"

"Of course I forgive you," Daisy said, still with a frown on her face. "That's what best friends do."

"I'm your best friend?" Peach asked with huge, glimmering puppy dog eyes.

"Well, like who else do I have?" Daisy asked, putting her hands on her hips. "Syrup's not even, like, a really good sister, Toadette is cool, but not that cool, you already like stole Mario from me, and I totally have other plans for Luigi… You promise not to like steal him, too, right?"

"I didn't steal anyo…" Peach began to protest, but dropped it instantly. "I promise."

"Good," Daisy smiled as if nothing had ever happened. "Now, let's get this show on the road." They walked back in front of the ship and found everyone standing completely still. "What's going on?"

"Him," Zelda said grimly.

Jinx stood directly in front of the entrance. His eyes were gleaming red. His red cape had been replaced with a black one. His tiny body was grayed over and the once green stalk on his head was now purple. Finally, he growled, "Darkness will consume all…"


	19. Hanayaka Temple

**Hanayaka Temple**

"Excuse me," Cleo said, approaching the little martial artist carefully. "I'm afraid you're giving off an awful lot of negative energy. I must ask you to step out of the way and leave the premises peacefully."

Jinx's eyes slid over to glare at the sphinx. She was nothing more than a distraction to him and so he returned his focus to his two primary targets, Peach and Zelda.

"Jinx…are you okay?" Peach ventured to ask. He was giving her the chills. Daisy was unable to look him in the eye. Zelda maintained her gaze, however.

"Death will come to you and the Princess of Destiny," Jinx rasped, giving off a wisp of black energy.

"He's possessed," Zelda frowned. She glanced at Peach. Peach nodded and attempted to heal him. There was a crackle of electricity about him that struck Peach.

"Ow!" she yelped, stepping back from the shock.

"I'm warning you," Cleo said, as Daisy's guards stood ready with their swords drawn. "It's my duty to protect this temple and I won't have any fighting here."

Jinx glanced threateningly at her once again.

"I know the guy's tough," Daisy said, showing a hint of anxiety. "But he's only one guy. He can't take all of us on." Jinx, still standing by the entrance, raised his fist and knocked it against the entryway with little effort. A visible crack darted up through the base of the pyramid all the way to the top.

"That does it!" Cleo roared like a lion. She pounced at him, but he darted under and behind her. With his back to her, he delivered a backwards kick into her hind leg, easily disabling it. She roared in pain and attempted to turn around to swipe at him with her claws. He jumped onto her back and somehow managed to stamp her down. Afterwards, he grabbed her by the tail and swung her into the cabin of the transport ship, tilting the entire thing.

"Princess," one of the guards said, taking Daisy's arm. "It's time to go."

"Where?" Daisy said, shaking him off. "The guy's so fast he'll just catch up to us in two seconds."

"He just wants us," Zelda said, transforming into her Sheikah uniform. "You should get as far away from here as possible."

"She's right," Peach nodded. "Merlee, Merluvlee, go with Daisy." Daisy begrudgingly agreed and retreated with the others beyond the transport ship.

"So, Peach," Zelda said, watching Jinx closely as he stood still. "You said you fought him before?"

"Three times," Peach nodded. "We beat him each time."

"That's good news," Zelda sighed. Then, she thought better of it. "…How many people does 'we' include?"

"All the matches were three-on-one fights," Peach said hesitantly. "Plus, we used items when he didn't…and if one of us got knocked out, there was always a way to get them back into the fight immediately."

"Great…"

"Bombs Away," Jinx said, somehow now immediately in front of Peach. He shot several small orbs of glowing energy out of his hand into her, knocking her clear off her feet and some distance away.

"Hey!" Zelda shouted.

"Triple Kick!" Jinx announced. He made a jump kick atZelda's face just as she blocked, nearly knocking her over. He seemed to disappear after the strike, but reappeared behind her in another jumping kick. She fell forward, but he appeared in front of her and did a flip kick that sent her somersaulting through the air. A flurry of healing sparkles overtook her and she managed to land on her feet. Jinx turned to Peach and saw her standing up, having just cast her healing spell on Zelda and herself.

"Jinxed!" he yelled, dashing toward her. She blocked each of his punches, including his powerful uppercut and double-axe handle. It was one of the few attacks that she knew how to defend well against. She was able to smack him away as he landed. Zelda followed up by landing some well-aimed needles into him. He flinched, but tossed the needles away and dashed towards Zelda. When, she tried to jump out of the way, he jumped right after her and slammed her down.

Just as she was about to jump back to her feet, he jumped onto her stomach and began to beat her with rapid punches to the chest. He stopped when he was hit by a turnip, giving Zelda time to get away. She took out the Master Sword and attempted to slash him. Instead, he caught the sword between his hands, pulled it forward, and sent a punishing roundhouse kick to her jaw. Smoke was rising off his hands from touching the sword, but he expressed no pain.

Just as she felt Peach healing her, Jinx jumped in front of Zelda's face, speaking quietly, "Silver Bullet." The resulting blow sent her flying toward the pyramid. She slammed against the wall with a crash, sending cracks through the sandstone, and slid to the base unmoving.

"Zelda!" Peach cried. Normally, she could rely on at least one other person being around to support her while she revived a fallen ally. Now, it was just her. She stood in place, not knowing what she should do. Suddenly, laser and plasma shots came from behind her, all aimed at Jinx. He shielded himself as best as he could of the initial shots, but quickly began to dodge around them. Peach looked over her shoulder, and saw Daisy and her two guards unloading their weapons on Jinx. As he dodged his way closer to Peach, she began to step back towards the relative safety of the ship.

"Peach, catch!" Merluvlee called, tossing her a peculiar flower. It looked similar to a Fire Flower, though she knew that they did not exist in this part of the world. When, she caught it, however, she felt more powerful."

"Now, evil must fall!" Merlee called out. "Use the Super Ball!"

Peach formed two red spheres that were suspiciously similar to fireballs, though they were not fiery at all. She lobbed them at Jinx, who nimbly dodged them as well as the other projectiles. The balls bounced off the ground and into the sky, apparently unaffected by gravity. They weren't much good in a wide, open area against someone as agile as Jinx. Soon, Daisy and her guards were out of ammo. The guards unsheathed their swords and charged at Jinx before he could reach Peach.

He sidestepped one slash, jumped over the other, ducked another, and dashed behind one of the guards. He used his Triple Kick attack to knock down one, and his Bombs Away attack to blast the other away. Just as he was about to strike Peach, Daisy kicked him out of the air. He was sent rocketing back in flames, though he quickly caught himself and skidded back on his feet.

"Yeah! Yeah! How's that you little freak!" Daisy barked, standing beside Peach.

"Lucky shot," Jinx said, now suddenly behind Daisy from apparently using Quicksilver. He cyclone kicked her into the air and used Bombs Away to blast her out of the sky. Peach, not wanting to draw him any closer to the nearly defenseless Shamans, broke into a run towards the pyramid. Two seconds later, Jinx overtook her and buried his fist into her stomach. She doubled over and fell to her knees. She tried to smack him away, but he merely blocked and rasped, "Silver Bullet." The blow slammed her against the ship, putting a small dent in its hull, and she fell onto the hot sand. She was just able to avoid fainting, but she was too weak to move much. All she could do was look up and see him slowly approaching. With her face so close to the ground, he seemed much bigger and thus even more frightening.

Suddenly, there was an explosion where he stood. The dome of fire grew larger and hotter until it finally disappeared, leaving blackened, somewhat glassy sand. Jinx looked irritated once the smoke cleared.

"Stay out of this!" he growled, looking up at the top of the ship. It was out of Peach's range of sight and she was too tired to even turn over to look up and behind herself.

"Last I checked," Morel said, hopping down in front of Peach, "you were supposed to be one of the good guys and here you are beating up the main characters… Hey…you look different."

"Don't waste my time!" Jinx yelled, dashing at her. She somehow whipped a giant red, winged Koopa shell out of her backpack and used it to block his strike. When he dashed around it, she hunkered down underneath it just as he struck again. He groaned and yelled, "Silver Bullet!" The blow slid the shell back several feet, but Morel appeared from underneath with an armful of bombs.

"Try this!" she yelled, tossing them all around. Sand and dust flew up into the air as explosions went off all around her.

"Argggh!" Jinx groaned, running through the explosions, despite the damage. As he aimed to punch Morel, she whacked him with the shell itself. He landed on his feet and dashed behind her. She jumped over his reverse strike and ground pounded directly onto him. She rolled off of him just as he jumped out of the sand.

"You caught me by surprise last time," she wagged her finger arrogantly. "This time, though, you're angry and evil. Mind telling me what happened to you 'cause there's no way you can beat me now?"

"Jinxed!" He swung wildly at her, but she was able to block each punch. After he did his uppercut, she grabbed him with both hands, jumped as high as she could and performed a high-flying piledriver, which looked especially painful since Jinx was so much smaller than her.

"Let's try this again," she said, sweeping the sand off herself. She noticed a strange feeling going through her hands after touching him. "What happened to you?"

He slowly got up, glaring at her. "Quicksilver!" As soon as he said that, she did a forceful split with one leg going forward and the other backward. Jinx was knocked from behind her mid-dash.

"Sorry, but you can't beat me anymore," she said, gracefully rising back to her feet and turning around to face him. "I know all your moves." He dashed directly at her and she countered by literally stepping on him. "You know, the angrier you get, the sloppier your approach." She crouched over him, while keeping her foot on him, to study him. "Is that Dark Matter?" She slipped on a thick work glove and grabbed his cape and ripped it off. There was a crackle of electricity and her hands felt numb.

"Aaarrrggghhh!" he growled. She then pulled at the purple stalk on his head.

"I guess that's a part of you," she shrugged. His struggling and squirming began to annoy her, so she began to drain him of energy until he stopped moving. With him apparently unconscious, she picked him up and took him over to Peach. She knelt down and held Peach upright with her free arm.

"…Mommy?" Peach said, still in a daze. "You…you came back?"

"Normally, that would be a turn on," Morel smiled, "but something tells me you're serious. It's me, Morel, the clone."

"M…Morel?" Peach blinked. "What are you…ohhh…" She moaned as she felt her injuries.

"I need you to call on your Shine Sprites and Power Stars," Morel said gently. "They should be able return Jinx back to normal."

"Okay," Peach nodded slightly. "Shining Star…please help restore my friend Ji…"

"Yeah, Shining Star," Morel interrupted. "Just do your thing." The Shining Star appeared and washed the darkness away from Jinx. He was restored to his former self, though he was still unconscious. Morel put him down near the Shamans, who were somewhat cautious and afraid of her. She returned to Peach and looked around. The only people able to watch her were the Shamans. "Boogity boo!" she shrieked, scaring them enough to make them hide behind the ship. With no one around, she took her chance to kiss Peach full on, healing her at the same time.

"Mmm…Hmm? Mmph!" Peach's eyes opened wide in shock and she pulled away. "Morel, hey!"

"What? You liked it," she argued.

"That's not the point!" Peach scolded her, blushing slightly. "You ask before you kiss someone like that!"

"May I kiss you?" Morel giggled.

"Is everyone suddenly in love with me?" Peach yelled.

"I'm not in love with you," Morel smiled, getting up. "I'm just like that." Peach watched as she walked over to Daisy in the distance and did the same thing with similar results.

"What is with you today, Peach!" Daisy immediately yelled.

"I'm Morel," she said, stealing a peck. "Besides, you're into this anyway."

"Darn it! I'm not a lesbian!" Daisy yelled.

"Then, why did you like it?" Morel asked, getting up and walking away.

Daisy was immediately speechless, but soon muttered to her, "Everyone has their moments."

"Yes, and I'm sure your life is just one _big_ moment," Morel called back, now crouching down to remove Zelda's veil. She was still alive and breathing normally. "Now's your turn my fake Cupcake. Let's have a little fun…" She took out her parasol and used it to turn into Malon, while pulling at Zelda's collar.

"I can see where this is going," Daisy muttered, while Peach ran by her.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Peach called out, running to her. "It's not like that between them. They're just friends."

"Yeah, and I'll bet they've been using that excuse for a while," she said, as the parasol disappeared.

"Thank you for everything," Peach said, moving her aside, "but I think I can take things from here."

"Oh, come on!" Morel whined. "Really, what's there to lose? It's not like I'm knocking her out and carrying her off into a cave to have my…way…with… Okay, fine, I see your point. But still…look at her. She's so cute and fragile and vulnerable and…she's gotta be getting pretty hot in all those clothes."

"You can go help the guards over there," Peach said, pointing.

"…You're no fun," Morel grumbled, walking to the guards.

"All right," Peach concentrated. "Come Back!" A light beamed down onto Zelda and a star descended into her.

Zelda sat up with a start. "Is it over?"

"Yep," Peach nodded. "Thanks to a little help."

Zelda reverted to her dress and saw "Malon" kissing one of the guards. "What in the bloody hell…Malon?"

"It's just Morel trying to irk you," Peach sighed.

"She was about to molest me, wasn't she?" Zelda glowered.

"…Kind of…but she saved our lives," Peach said optimistically.

After properly or, in Morel's case, inappropriately healing everyone, it was time to enter the temple. Peach, Zelda, Daisy, and the Shamans entered the dark, torch-lit halls. Morel remained outside with Cleo, the guards, and Jinx.

"I appreciate your help," Jinx said appreciatively. "But I'm afraid you're still considered an enemy."

"No big deal," Morel said dismissively as she leaned against the side of the ship.

"Then I'm sure you won't mind being taken into custody," one of the guards said coldly.

"Whatever," Morel shrugged with a smile, offering her arms. The guards were somewhat surprised, but cautiously put handcuffs on her. "Oh come on, guys!"

"Now she complains," the other guard muttered.

"You can put on more restraints than these," she smirked, surprising them again. "Like how about putting the cuffs on while my hands are behind my back. And then you can tie me up in a rope. And don't forget about leg restraints. It wouldn't hurt to toss in some ankle braces too."

"Well, you heard the woman," Jinx said, folding his arms.

"Uh…sir?"

"Even if she does escape, at least you'll be able to say you tried your best," Jinx said, sitting a meditative position. "Besides, I'll keep watch."

"Yes, sir!"

* * *

"So, tell me," Zelda said to Merluvlee as they followed Daisy's lead. "Is there anything outstanding about this temple?"

"I'm afraid I don't know," Merluvlee said. "It only appeared to me in my trance."

"The stars rarely tell us more than we need to know," Merlee pointed out. "Sometimes, those nearby are more aware though."

"Peach?" Zelda asked.

"I've never heard of this place," Peach said quietly. "What about you Daisy?"

"Hanayaka was the first Queen of Sarasaland," Daisy answered with uncharacteristic calm. "She defended Birabuto from invaders, united the country, and then united all four kingdoms under her surname, Sarasa… There she is." They came out of the dark hallway and into a large chamber. There were mirrors all about the room, reflecting a single beam of sunlight from the roof so that it lit the entire chamber. There were a few hieroglyphics on the walls as murals. Most of the pictures depicted stars in the sky as well as people worshipping them. There were also many flowers depicted closer to the ground. There was also a small, shallow pool of water in the center of the chamber. Other than some foreign writing on the wall, the room was relatively empty.

"Is this her tomb as well?" Zelda asked.

Daisy had her head bowed and her eyes closed. She seemed to be murmuring something under her breath. She clasped her hands together and tilted her head back. Then, she opened her eyes and released her hands. "You could say that."

"Shouldn't there be a sarcophagus?" Peach asked.

"Or a tombstone or some marking?" Zelda added.

"You'd think so…" Daisy answered distantly. "But this is the way she wanted it. She lived for a long time…at least two hundred years…maybe five…but then, she just disappeared…or so the story goes."

"Tell us more," Peach said.

"No one knew where she came from," Daisy answered. "But it was good when she first showed up. Birabuto was just a rural country full of nomads. There were a few pyramids around, but they were all from the era before the country fell into ruin…after the last corrupt ruling family was gotten rid of. But without a leader, Birabuto was just a sitting duck for all the other countries to attack…but when Hanayaka came along, she brought hope to the people of Birabuto. More importantly, she defended them, sometimes all by herself. Normally, that would be like suicide…but not only was she powerful on her own, but she could do something no one else could."

"What was that?" Peach asked.

"She could call on the Wanderer," Daisy said, pointing to the top of the mural. There was a cloaked figure drawn above the stars. Above it was something very familiar to Zelda.

"Is that the Phoenix?" Zelda asked.

"Supposedly, the Wanderer could come back to life no matter how much punishment she took," Daisy said. "And she made sure that no harm came to Hanayaka or those close to her. She helped her protect everyone. And she destroyed the invaders. And I mean, like, totally. Easton still hasn't really recovered."

"How long ago was this?" Zelda asked uneasily.

"About a thousand years, I guess," Daisy shrugged. "Give or take a few decades. It got to the point that people either loved or hated the Wanderer, for obvious reasons. Eventually, Hanayaka vowed to never rely on the Wanderer again. She used her own power to maintain order and justice. She was really a miracle worker. She could heal the sick, predict the future…she was supposed to even raise the dead on a few occasions. Needless to say, her rule was a time of peace. But then…she just disappeared. Some say the Wanderer took her away… Others say she just rose up into the heavens and became a star. All we know is that she had a son a little while before she went."

"I've never heard any of this before," Merluvlee said.

"How do you know all of this?" Peach asked.

"She's my ancestor," Daisy said with a small smile. "I'm mostly of Birabutoan descent."

"If you knew all this about the Wanderer," Zelda began, "why didn't you tell us before?"

"Well, if you look at the translation strictly," Daisy said, pointing to the writing on the wall that only she could decipher, "the story is always passed down with the word Drifter instead of Wanderer. When I was first taught, we only used the words Drifter or Traveler. In Easton, she's called the Stray or Rogue. She's only called the Wanderer in some parts of Muda, so I had to stretch for a few connections."

"I see," Zelda nodded. "You're up, Peach."

Thus far, each of the monuments had some small body of water. Peach looked into the reflecting pool and stepped in. The temple began to rumble. Many of the mirrors began to shift. The different lighting was affecting the writings and pictures very strangely. Half the room was even brighter than before, and filled with glittering pictures of stars. The other half of the room was shaded. Where there had once been people worshipping under stars, there were now people in despair under burning, falling stars. The dividing line was the figure of the Wanderer. The Phoenix was glowing through white and yellow.

"The writings changed," Daisy said, somewhat startled.

"What do they say?" Zelda asked.

"Let's see… 'An ambiguous figure she is. She is able to rise to the highest of expectations, yet she slaughters so many, so mercilessly. This is not what I had wanted. I wanted more peace, with minimal destruction. Instead, she delivers maximum peace, with maximum destruction and fear. Is she cursed or blessed? Am I cursed as well? To be affiliated with such a blessed, cursed person. It was too much to bear. I banished her from my presence. Now, guilt fills me. Her sorrow is unending, yet she used no other methods. Is mankind simply a beast that only responds to suffering? Or is this blessed, cursed being really a demon? And yet, her legacy has stained these united kingdoms. My guilt has overwhelmed me. I can bear it no more. Sinking into an inescapable pit of guilt and complacency, I have doomed myself to the very end she forever flees. I only hope that my descendants will continue on the path that I could no longer take. Each landmark of that cursed, blessed being will I mark with my own. Perhaps this will be of some use to future generations, should her whereabouts be needed. Should her ways stay true to Order, may she be blessed. Should she stray as she so often seemed to, may she have mercy in her realm of despair, for despair was most often her home.' That's depressing."

"Yes," Zelda nodded. "But it doesn't really tell us where…"

"Wait! Wait!" Merlee said, clutching her head. "I'm receiving a message…no, indeed a presage."

"There is a presence here," Merluvlee said, going into a trance. "Look to the mural. Gah!"

"What's wrong?" Peach asked worriedly, as the light side brightened and the shaded side darkened.

"I see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil," Merluvlee said sorrowfully, floating into the light side. The drawing of the Wanderer split into two. One went further into the light. "Slanderous black writing, millions of hateful souls, and my sacrifice. But it is for the best." Peach could have sworn she saw the image of her mother's face on the light side.

"What is she talking about?" Daisy asked, confused. Suddenly, Merlee floated into dark side, also in a trance.

"I see and feel the evil," she said with some malice in her voice. "My prayers will crush them all…"

"What?" Zelda said, taken aback.

"They all thought they had the answers… I struck and watched them fall." The other figure of the Wanderer moved into the darkness. Peach saw the startling image of the Wanderer's obscured face with gleaming blue eyes, just as she had seen when the ghosts had possessed her.

Then, both Merlee and Merluvlee spoke at once. "The Land of Despair lies beyond the eastern Land's End. Into its depths she did recently descend. A grave of stars lies near, as do a hill, a mountain, and a temple of fear. Her bastard child pursues her even still… Though her heart is broken, she still has her will. Hyrulean language that woman taught me. That honor I have expressed in many a decree. Perhaps I am redeemed, perhaps not. But to Peach, I say fear her not." Once they had finished, they gently floated to the ground and fainted.

"Ancestor?" Daisy called out. "Hanayaka?"

Peach stared up at the glowing Phoenix and the two figures of the Wanderer. "What does this all mean?" she asked aloud.

"The Land of Despair," Zelda said. "Beyond the eastern Land's End. Near a grave of stars, a hill, a mountain, and a temple of fear… It doesn't make any sense…"

"Pick them up," Daisy said, pointing to Merlee and Merluvlee. "There's only one place where any of that makes sense."

"Where?" Peach asked.

"Back in her time, the only enemy nation to Sarasaland was called a land of despair by most of the people in this part of the kingdom. Nowadays, we're on friendly terms, but a name for it stuck pretty well in Chai. Chai just so happens to _be_ the eastern Land's End. And what's the only place east of Chai?"

"The Land of the Rising Sun…Wa."

"Which just happens to have the Land of Wo in it's territory," Daisy said. "Peach, don't you have an old friend who can take us to Wo?"

* * *

When they returned outside, they found a strange sight. Jinx was standing by, keeping careful watch, while the guards dangled a completely roped and chained Morel upside down from the top of the ship. Cleo batted her around playfully like a kitten. Everyone except Jinx was giggling.

"Okay…" Daisy said, deciding not to comment. "Hey, guys! We're leaving."

"Yes, ma'am," the guards chuckled, lowering Morel to the ground. They jumped down, picked her up, and carried her into the ship.

"Have a nice day," Cleo nodded, walking back to the temple.

"Weird…" Daisy muttered.

"Jinx," Zelda spoke. "Do you remember who made you attack us?"

"I'm afraid not," Jinx said, wincing.

"Whoever did it," Morel said, as she was slung over a guards shoulder, "they made sure to wipe his memory. When I asked him before, the last thing he remembered was running into you in Nimbus Land."

"It was Smiley," Peach spoke up. "It had to be him."

"What makes you say that?" Morel asked, as she was placed on a seat in the ship.

"He was the one I saw doing the most horrendous things to Zelda's mother," Peach said, wincing at the memory. "He would have done much worse if we hadn't intervened. And he had that same laugh from when Zelda and I were in that training simulation."

"Are you sure? Did you see his face?"

"No, but I saw his back and I heard Death Guy and Shadee call him by name. He gave off such a terrible feeling."

"Hmm…Well, besides killing a bunch of allies in the virtual room, he hasn't done much wrong. We'll see him about that."

"Figures," Zelda muttered.

"That's all you're going to do?" Peach said.

"Sorry, Peach," Morel shrugged. "I'm still a bad guy and so is Cupcake. What Smiley seems to be doing is pretty much within his job description. We're still looking out for you, but there's only so much we're going to do. And if he can take on Jinx like that, he might be a little out of our league. I only beat the little guy 'cause he wasn't fighting like he usually would."

"Oh…" Peach said disappointedly.

"Where are you going next anyway?"

"Wa," Peach said.

"You mean 'Wo' Wa?" Morel asked with some surprise. "What's all the way out there?"

"My…"

"Mph!" Zelda put a finger to Peach's lips. "She's an enemy."

Morel raised an eyebrow and was immediately suspicious.


	20. Old Forgotten Friend

**Old Forgotten Friend**

Once the transport ship landed at a base in Birabuto, everyone moved to a fresh ship, since their current one had sustained some damage. Jinx would be escorting Merluvlee and Merlee back to Chai, while it was planned for Morel to be detained until later. Daisy, her guards, Zelda, and Peach, would be going straight to Wa.

As Morel was being taken down a stone hall to her holding cell, her chains and ropes suddenly snapped loose. Before the guards could even respond, they were slammed into the opposing walls, while Morel was allowed to land on her feet.

"You're a little late," Morel said, placing her hands on her hips. Then, a previously unnoticed and unconscious guard fell from above and hit the floor with a thud. Morel's backpack fell on him afterward.

"Is that better, Darling?" Drow asked, sliding down the wall.

"Much!" Morel said, jumping into her arms and kissing her. "So, what took you so long? Calatia couldn't have taken too long? Wait a minute…"

"Jonga," Drow smirked. "Apparently, Smiley wants to meet us. He has something good to discuss with us."

"Aw, Honey, can't it wait?" Morel said, kissing her again and laying against her. "I don't know what I'll say to that creep. Peach said he's the one who's been causing her so much trouble… Besides, I want us to spend a little alone time. It's been so long…so many…"

"Days," Drow smiled, cradling her. "Yes, I know, but someone needs to keep an eye on the princesses."

"Aw…" Morel groaned.

"I've got a little treat for you, though," Drow giggled.

"You convinced them to…!" Morel began excitedly.

"No, not that," Drow said quickly. "That's a degree of mind control I haven't yet attained. No, it concerns the others in Calatia. They're rather…anxious for their reward. Thank heavens I didn't have to hurt anyone…"

"You know they're just messing with you," Morel chuckled. "All right then. I'll go to Calatia, and you keep a bead on our friends. Smiley will have to wait. Keep me posted."

"Yes, Dearest," Drow nodded as Morel took out her Warp Flute. "Enjoy yourself."

* * *

Daisy had pushed the engines of the ship to full thrust. It was not another transport ship. Instead it was a small royal shuttle, though it looked more like a small fighter jet. It had a wing on each side and one dorsal wing on top. The backside was covered in three large boosters, all blasting blue flames of thrust out. A large black, rounded windshield covered the cockpit/cabin.

Zelda was plastered to her seat in a nervous wreck. Daisy was gripping the stick enthusiastically, occasionally taking the ship into a barrel roll just to scare Zelda. Peach was plastered against her seat as well, but she did not mind the speed much. She was again deep in thought about the usual.

"AAAAAAH!" Zelda wailed. "Please, stop! Just slow down!"

"Sorry, Zel," Daisy said. "We're in a hurry. We can make it to Diamond City by nighttime. A little trip across the sea and we're there!"

"You're insane!" Zelda screamed.

"Like, how many times are you going to say that?" Daisy asked, laughing. "Need someone to hold your hand?"

"Yes…" Zelda whimpered. She was surprised to feel Peach gently take her hand.

"You'll be okay," Peach smiled, squeezing her hand.

"Thank you."

"Pansies," Daisy muttered, taking the ship into a dive.

"Blast you!"

A couple hours later, the ship was flying over Chai and quickly approaching the coast. Zelda had either fallen asleep or fainted from the excessive speed of the craft. She still held onto Peach's hand. Peach was still very much awake.

"Daisy," Peach said quietly, glancing at Zelda's peaceful form.

"What's up?" Daisy chimed.

"Do you think I would make a good mother?"

"Don't tell me you think you're pregnant again…"

"No, just wondering," Peach said. "I just noticed something though."

"What's that?"

"So many of us never knew our real mothers, or at least never grew up with them around. Does that mean we would be worse mothers?"

"Nah! I think I'd be an awesome mom. I think all of us would."

"Really?"

"Sure. I'd be like the cool, peppy soccer mom. Zelda would be a wise matron mother like any other old-fashioned queen. And you'd be…well, you. Even I look up to you sometimes. Why do think I've been stealing your look for so long?"

"Thanks," Peach smiled. Then, she became somewhat nervous as she asked, "What do you think about my mother?"

"No opinion right now," Daisy said. "I don't know enough about her to say anything. You never really talk about your parents."

"Well, neither do you," Peach replied.

"Yeah, but they've been dead since I was little," Daisy chuckled. "You've had your dad around the whole time, even though no one ever sees him. And I'm guessingsomething happened between you and your momsince you never talk about her at all. She must have done something pretty serious to shut you up about her for this long, especially since that whole Wanderer thing only just came up." Peach made no response. "Hmm."

The radio began to buzz and someone's voice came on. "Contacting Princess Daisy. This is Sergeant Yuu. Do you read me, over?"

"Crazy Daisy here," Daisy replied. "What's on your mind, over?"

"We heard that you were taking Princess Zelda and Princess Peach to Wa. Is that correct, over?"

"Roger, over."

"We've received reports that there have been strange sightings all around the country," he said. "Large numbers of witnesses claim to have seen a black creature covered in a cloud of bats. We recommend that you remain in Chai until…"

"No way!" Daisy replied, sending static and beeping ear-piercing feedback through the radio. "If we're going to get attacked, it might as well be while we're seeing this all through. Besides, flocks of bats tend to look like monsters anyway. We'll be fine. Is that all, over?"

"Actually, Your Majesty," the Sergeant continued, "we're all a little concerned about you going to see the Wanderer. We all feel it's a little too risky, considering the legends and rumors about her, over."

"What do you mean by 'we,' over?" she asked suspiciously.

"Just about everyone except your sister," he answered. "I'm sorry, Princess, but we can't allow you to put yourself in danger like this. We've already sent some fighters to escort you back to Chai. We'll let you drop off the other two, but after that you must return, over."

"And under who's authority are you doing this?" Daisy asked. "It'd better be good, over."

"In recent weeks, we had all of Sarasaland take a voluntary vote as to whether you should be secured, even if it is against your wishes. Three percent said you should be allowed to do as you please. The rest voted for your protection. Under Section Four of the 25th Amendment of the United Kingdoms of Sarasaland Constitution, citizens have the right to overturn any decrees, actions, etc. of the presiding monarch/executive if, by vote, at least 90 percentof the total citizen population join against any decrees, actions, etc. of said monarch/executive. In short, _we_ have overridden you. Over."

"Tsk, like whatever!" Daisy exclaimed, turning off the radio. Just then, two jets known as Rocketon dropped out of the clouds and flew along the shuttles wings. "Awww, maaan!"

"Sometimes," Peach spoke, "I wish my kingdom had a law like that. Then, I wouldn't have to worry about my father making crazy laws."

"If there's anything I hate, it's chaperones," Daisy grumbled.

Eventually, as the sun sank below the ocean horizon behind them, they reached the coast of Wa. They were making good time. It was not much longer before they were flying over a city full of colorful skyscrapers. By the time the sun had completely disappeared, Daisy had slowed down to land the shuttle at an airport. Zelda was finally able to awaken, though she felt dizzy.

"All right, guys," Daisy said, popping open the hatch. "Good luck. And be careful around here."

"You mean about that bat creature?" Peach asked, supporting Zelda as they got out.

"No, I mean the people who live here," Daisy whispered. "You didn't hear it from me, but this place is supposed to be pretty wacky. I mean beyond Beanbean wacky. If you need _anything_, just drop me a line."

Peach helped Zelda walk back inside the airport and to the drop-off area. She soon saw the sign with her name on it that she was looking for. The person holding the sign was a young woman of slightly younger age. She had dark brown hair shaped into two short pigtails and large auburn eyes. She wore a long black skirt, a large blue sweater over a red-collared shirt, and white cotton gloves. Peach hurried over until she saw them.

"Hi, Peach!" she called.

"Hello, Plum!" Peach replied, hugging her with her free arm. "How have you been?"

"Just peachy," Plum nodded. "I've heard how hard it's been for you and the Mushroom Kingdom though. You have my deepest sympathy… Is this Zelda, the real Zelda?"

"Oh, right," Peach said, trying to stand Zelda up straight. "Zelda, I want you to meet my friend Plum. She was a diplomatic exchange ambassador from Wa, who came to my kingdom in exchange for Toadsworth's time in Wa. She makes for a pretty good golfer, too."

"Unh…" Zelda groaned, still dizzy. "It's a…pleasure, Plum."

"It's an honor to meet you," Plum bowed modestly. "You're literally a legend in the video gaming world. I, on the other hand, was lucky enough to get in a single golf game. I was one of the 'normal' people characters no one bothered to remember."

"It wasn't that bad," Peach said, following her to the exit. "Nintendo made a trophy of you in Super Smash Brothers."

"Are you sure that's the clothing you want to wear?" Plum asked, glancing over her shoulder. "It's cold outside."

"We just came straight from the desert of Birabuto," Peach smiled sheepishly. "Daisy wanted to get us here so fast that we didn't even think about it."

"That's pretty fast, considering how far you've come."

"It was insanely fast," Zelda grumbled.

When they caught a taxi, Peach andZelda decided to ignore the fact that there were two drivers, one a large anthropomorphic bulldog and the second a small anthropomorphic cat. Plum did not seem to notice anything out of the ordinary.After the ride was over, they went into Plum's building and up to her condo.

As they stepped into the elevator, Peach ventured to say, "Plum…I heard that Wa was a little…wacky. Have you noticed anything out of the ordinary?"

"Hmm… I'd say compared to me, everything's pretty wacky. But nothing out of the ordinary really, at least not compared to the rest of the world. Excuse me for saying so, but I always thought Sarasaland and the Mushroom Kingdom were pretty trippy. There's those little mushroom guys, the walking talking turtles, the Super Mushrooms that can turn you into a giant, the Stars that make you invincible, the weird floating coins and boxes with question marks on them, the walking bombs, the flowers that give you powers…"

"I get the point," Peach nodded, now realizing how silly it was to think of things here as any stranger than usual.

"A bloody dog and cat were talking and driving the same car," Zelda muttered. "It's just another flavor of weird."

"What about the way Gorons eat rocks?" Plum asked.

"Well…"

"Or the way those chickens try gang up on and murder anyone that kicks them around too much?"

"Uh…"

"Or the way Gerudo only have one male every century? And the fairies, and the Zoras, and the Dekus, and the Kokiri, and the way you and Link look so much alike and…"

"All right!" Zelda yelled as the elevator reached the correct floor. "Fine."

"And the ears," Plum quickly added with a mischievous smirk.

"I heard something about a bat-covered creature being spotted around the country," Peach said as they stepped off the elevator and entered Plum's residence. It was fairly simple. The carpet was off-white. There were the usual pieces of furniture such as a couch, television set, and a coffee table.

"Yeah, that's a little worrisome," Plum frowned. "I don't know why anything like that would be showing up around here, though. You should be safe enough here. I bought a few charms just in case." She took a few slips of paper out of her pocket that had symbols on them.

"Those look different from the usual writing I've seen in this world," Zelda noted. "But it looks oddly familiar."

"You may have seen some of these in Chai," Plum said, placing them on the large glass windows that overlooked the city. "They're not too different. It's actually a completely different language from what they usually use in the Mushroom Kingdom." She handed a few sheets to both of them. "I don't have a guest room, so I'll take the couch. You don't mind sharing a bed, do you?"

"That will be fine," Peach smiled. "I don't want anyone to have to sleep on the floor."

"Pardon me," Zelda said, "but do you have anything to eat. We haven't had a meal since this morning."

"I don't think I have anything worthy of royalty," Plum said nervously, looking toward the kitchen. "And I'm not sure I want to risk feeding you any of my cooking…not that it's bad…it's just not great."

"Can you order out?" Zelda asked somewhat hopefully.

* * *

Sometime later in the night, Peach and Zelda were going to bed. Plum's pj's were a tad small for them, but only because Plum was noticeably shorter than both of them. Zelda wore a purple short-sleeved shirt and black shorts. Peach wore a blue shirt and purple shorts.

"Thank you for deigning to hold my hand," Zelda smiled as they got into bed.

"It wasn't deigning," Peach returned the smile. "I was just trying to help in any little way I could."

"Thank you anyway," Zelda said, closing her eyes. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Peach said. Despite the fact she was gradually drawing closer to her mother and her past, Peach was content enough to fall asleep. She had reunited with an old friend, made Zelda feel happy, and she had declared her love for Sheik. She even got to indirectly meet an apparent friend of the Wanderer, despite Hanayaka's somewhat harsh words. At the very least, she had little to worry about until Plum would take them to what apparently was the _Is_land of Woe. What was a "land" in Sarasaland was an "island" in this country. And it was named Woe because it was supposedly an unpleasant place. But none of that mattered for now. Peach fell fast asleep.

The room had a large window, similar to the one in the living room. It took up nearly an entire wall and had the full height of a person. The curtains had been left open slightly to let in some of the crescent moonlight. At some point, however, that moonlight had been blocked out and a shroud of darkness came over the room. There was a gentle breeze coming from the window.

Peach awakened suddenly, feeling the breeze. Not wanting to wake Zelda, she slipped out of bed and sleepily approached the window. It had not been open when she had gone to bed. She opened the curtain and was surprised to see that it was unusually dark outside. In fact, it seemed totally black outside. Peach could see nothing. As she moved to close the window, a black, clawed hand reached out of the darkness and grabbed her by the throat. Her throat was numbed instantly and she felt weakened and short of breath. She could not even scream. She struggled to hold onto the window as the hand began to pull her outside. Then, she saw dozens of tiny, narrow eyes opening in the darkness. They were bats. They broke away from the window and swarmed around the figure grasping Peach.

"_Zelda! Help me!"_ Peach cried mentally. She prayed Zelda could hear her thoughts. Zelda shifted in bed. Peach made her screams louder, though her physical voice was absent.

"Ergh… What is it?" Zelda asked, in an annoyed voice. Peach's nails clawed along the wall as she was pulled further outside. Zelda sat up and her eyes shot open. "Peach!" She ran straight to Peach and wrapped her arms around her waist to secure her.

"Let go," an odd, though female voice growled.

"Begone! Evil!" Zelda shouted.

Plum soon burst through the door. "_Iie_!" She ran to grab onto Peach as well. Peach's arms fell limp as she weakened even more. "Let go!"

"_Hime_ is mine now," the figure said. The bats all flew into the room, squeaking and nipping at them. The room was filled with them. In desperation, Zelda bit down on the creature's arm. There was a growl of pain as she released Peach. Zelda charged her Shining Ray as she looked upon the creature, no longer surrounded by its bats.

It some ways, it looked similar to the Great Fairy of the Depths. It was at least twice as tall as the average human. It had pale black or dark gray skin and wore dull, loose rags of similarly colored cloth over its body. It's jet black hair was unnaturally dark and reflected no light at all. The creature also had white, empty eyes, and small fangs, though half of its face was covered by its long loose hair. It's hands had an eerie purplish glow, as if they had been coated in something. As Zelda fired her Shining Ray, the bats all swarmed in front of the blast. As a result, they were scattered all about the room. Plum had pulled Peach some distance away from the window.

The creature reached into the room and grabbed Zelda by her face. It pulled her outside and tossed her over its shoulder, leaving her to fall to her doom. It then turned its attention to Plum and Peach.

"Go away!" Plum screamed, huddling over Peach.

The creature hovered outside the window, unable to enter for some reason. It did not have a look of malice on its face, but there was a taunting air about it. Soon, the bats lying about the room revived themselves and began to fly to Peach. Despite Plum's swatting, they swarmed around the Mushroom Princess and somehow moved her to their mistress. There was a beam of light fired from below, startling the creature momentarily. Plum took the opportunity to take one of the paper seals off a wall and stuck it directly to the creature's forehead. The creature froze in place, seeming somewhat confused. When the seal burned away in blue flames, it smiled a toothy grin. The bats, still carrying Peach, surrounded their mistress and they all flew off into the night.

Plum sank to her knees in distress. She looked over the edge just as Zelda teleported next to her and looked out the window towards the swarm of bats.

Zelda punched the wall in frustration.


	21. Kidnapped Again

**Kidnapped Again**

The swarm of bats finally released Peach. In a daze, she looked about her surroundings. It was incredibly dark here. She appeared to be lying on a rocky surface. Judging from the echoes of the bat's squeaks and flapping wings, she guessed that she was in a cave of some sort. The bats all flew up into the dark ceiling, though she could barely see them. Peach was unsure how she was able to see at all since there were no direct sources of light. She could only guess the direction of the mouth of the cave. Soon, all was nearly quiet. The bats were silent. There was the echo of dripping water. As her senses returned to her she felt herself breathing excessively hard. She also heard the much more settled breathing of her captor.

"Who are you?" Peach asked meekly. "Why did you bring me here?"

"You are pretty one," the creature's low and slow, accented voice echoed. "Do not fear…much. I will not kill you…maybe."

"What do you want?"

"You are Peach-hime, correct?" the creature asked. It seemed to phase into existence before her, standing tall above her.

Peach nodded, leaning back.

"Tomodachi told me I might find you," it said, leaning closer to her. "It was Garo with strange kamen."

"Smiley?"

"Hai," the creature nodded, lowering onto its knees. "Said you would be good replacement."

"Replacement?"

"For beloved one," the creature said, going on hands and knees as Peach slowly scooted back. "Died long time ago. Spirit was angry and violent. Was put to rest by child of hikari. Dirge was alone for long, long time, in mountain in strange world. Smiley said Peach-hime would make good, even better substitute."

"Dirge, is that your name?" Peach asked nervously, scooting back faster.

"Hai."

"I think you might want to…um…reconsider who should be a replacement," Peach said as she came up against a wall. "I don't think we would match up very well."

"I do."

"But…you're a…and I'm a…" Peach did not know where to begin.

"No one is perfect," Dirge replied. "I prefer Gomess, but you will do. Smiley said Peach was friendly, soft, cuddly, pretty, and tasty."

"What? Tasty?" Peach nearly shrieked. She got to her feet and began to move toward what she thought might be an exit.

Dirge glided in Peach's way and took her by the shoulders. "Said nothing about being so impolite. I will see how you taste." Her small fangs began to enlarge.

"Don't eat me!" Peach screamed. "Shining St…"

Dirge brusquely grabbed Peach's mouth and growled threateningly, "Do not say bad words. I will kill you if you make light shine from star." Then, her face softened as she saw the frightened look on Peach's face. "I will not eat replacement. That would be stupid. Gomess would eat you, but I do not. He is pure shadow with bats. I am part shadow with bat. Main part is vampire." Peach's eyes widened in fright once again as Dirge released her mouth.

"Don't bite me!" Peach whimpered. "I hate blood! I don't want to turn into a vampire! I don't want to hurt other people!"

"Being vampire is not bad," she said. "Humans say bad things about vampires, but all lies." Dirge sniffed about her and held her close with one arm. "You smell nice like fresh momo…peaches." Despite Peach's struggling, she could do nothing to stop her, since Dirge had superior strength and size. Her body was beginning to feel numb simply from being in contact with the vampire. Dirge turned Peach's head so that she could get a clear view of her neck and many arteries and veins that pumped the precious fluid that she craved. Seeing the shirt get in the way, she tore the collar enough to reveal more of her shoulder. She began to lick at a spot between Peach's neck and shoulder.

"Hey, that tickles!" Peach cried. "Stop! Don't bite me!"

"Bite will feel like pinch at first," Dirge said, still licking to soften the skin. "Pain will go away fast."

"Dirge, please don't!" Peach begged.

The vampire gave a small, but apparently involuntary growl as she sunk her fangs deep into Peach. Peach immediately gasped and struggled even more, but she felt a numbness overtake her. Something was sedating her.

"Mmm…" Dirge purred as she drank from Peach's bloodstream. Her grip on Peach tightened, though Peach was quickly going limp. Once she was satisfied, she removed her fangs from Peach and gave the wound a quick lick. The two bite holes disappeared instantly, though they were covered in blackened skin now.

Peach felt too exhausted to move much or say anything. The only thing she felt was overwhelming despair at what she was to become. As she sleepily gazed up at the black ceiling, Dirge looked down on her with a gentle smile.

* * *

Peach groggily awakened. She felt weak and somewhat queasy. She found herself in Dirge's embrace. The shadow vampire seemed to be in a deep sleep and had the princess in her lap. Peach carefully freed herself and moved away from her captor. She looked about herself and her surroundings. There was no way of knowing whether the bats were awake or even if they were still present, but there was no reaction to Peach's movements or the slight noises echoing from her feet tapping against the rock floor. Looking back at Dirge once more, she quietly made her way toward what she thought was the mouth of the cave. 

As she moved along, she noticed more light reflecting off the rock surface and even the occasional pool of water. The puddle reminded her how thirsty she suddenly was, though the thirst she felt as well as the puddles themselves unnerved her. The pools were all shallow and strangely seemed give off an energy that made her feel uncomfortable. She nervously bit her lip and put her hand in her mouth to feel for any elongated teeth. Doing so only reminded her that she had never bothered to feel her teeth in the dark before. With no real reference for feel and the area still being too dark to look for her own reflection, if she had one anymore, she simply continued along her path. Rays of light were appearing through cracks in the ceiling. She happened to walk right into one when turning around the bending path and noticed how much the light hurt her eyes. Despite the brightness, she felt good that at least there was no burning sensation. In fact, as she happened upon more rays of light and a brighter chamber, she was feeling better overall, as if the light was suppressing the uneasy feelings she had before. She still felt weak, but her head and stomach no longer ached.

Finally, she came upon the mouth of the cave. It was not very big at all. She could imagine Dirge having to crawl through, though Peach only had lower her head a bit. She smiled as the sweet morning light shined on her. It was short-lived, however, as she saw that there was a sheer drop off a narrow cliff. The edge was no more than a couple feet away from the cave entrance. Down below, there was a vast forest, thick with dark green trees. It was dizzying just looking down. She looked along the cliff face for possible footholds. It was a suspiciously smooth, straight wall that had no slope at all. The only things that could possibly reach this area were either capable of flight or sticking to walls as insects would. A cold wind reinforced her altitude as elevated and that it would be foolish to remain outside in the slightly undersized pajamas she still wore. Still, she remained outside in vain hope that someone might see her standing out on the cliff huddling her arms around herself. When her hands, feet, and nose began to go numb, she reluctantly retreated back into the cave. The wind never blew into the cave, so she only went as far as the area full of sunrays, the "Chamber of Light" as she decided to call it. She would have to ignore her thirst for the time being, or until she would summon the courage to even touch the water.

* * *

Drow watched from the treetops as Peach left the cliff. She curled her lip, frowning slightly in hesitation. As much as she felt sorry for her, she did not want to interfere if it was not necessary. She looked at the ground in frustration and disappeared.

* * *

Peach was agonizingly thirsty and her stomach never stopped nagging her. It had been hours since she first ventured outside. She took a peek and saw that, to her dismay, the sun was setting. She returned to the Chamber of Light and looked at the first puddle she came across. Light was reflecting off of it, but the liquid was extremely dark. Gulping nervously, she hesitantly put a finger into the puddle. At first, she did not feel anything. Then, it became clear that the water was somehow numbing her finger. She could not even tell whether it was warm or cold. She dared to place her entire hand in the water, confirming that it was a numbing substance. When she removed her hand, it hung limply, barely able to move. It would not be a good idea to have something like that in her system. 

As nightfall came, the chamber ceased to shine any rays of light at all. She was all the more unnerved, for some terrifyingly inexplicable reason. She no longer felt safe in this part of the cave. To her own surprise, she found herself trembling. She stood upright and began to walk back toward the mouth of the cave. On her way, she accidentally stepped into a particularly deep puddle and her whole leg went numb, causing her to fall over with a thud. She attempted to heal herself, but something was hindering her powers. With her foot still lying in the puddle, she felt her entire body loose feeling.

"Hoy!" she heard Dirge's voice echo. "Peach-hime? Where are you?"

Peach attempted to drag herself towards the exit, at least enough to get her foot out of the water. Unfortunately, she only managed to make her muscles twitch, as if they were locked into position. She grunted in frustration.

She heard the sound of something skittering along the rock surface. A clawed hand lifter her up by her arm and she was turned around to face a curious Dirge. She looked at Peach's miserable expression and then down at the water. "You drank Dark Water? Very bad for one like you…"

"Didn't…drink…" Peach said slowly, having trouble breathing.

"Hmm…" Dirge said, turning her head. "Call on Shining Star. Should make you feel better…"

"You…don't mind?" Peach asked.

"Light hurts me, but will help you," Dirge said with a smile, standing her up. "Go on."

As Peach summoned the Shining Star, the colony of bats came from all around and surrounded Dirge as she moved away. The Shining Star lit the entire room so brightly, Dirge's skin appeared jet black and the cavern seemed to be a bronze color. The bats all burned away in holy golden fire. Peach felt her energy return completely. Dirge was trembling and withering. Peach looked at her in pity. She called back the Shining Star, returning the cavern to absolute darkness. Dirge crawled to the nearest puddle and drank straight from it. Once she had drained it, she moved to the next puddle and did the same. Soon, all the puddles were no more.

"How do you feel?" Dirge asked, actually drenched in the water. Her skin was an eerie black color that seemed to be almost made of shadow.

"Better…" Peach replied. "But I'm hungry and thirsty. If it's not too much to ask."

"Gomen," Dirge frowned. "I had forgotten. I am too weak to get much food… Need more time to rest. But I will get fresh water."

"I thought vampires couldn't cross water?"

"A lie," Dirge said, trudging toward the exit.

A few minutes later, she returned with a basket made of twigs and leaves. It was filled to the brim with water. She sat it on the ground and Peach gorged herself on it.

"Drink much water to make more blood," Dirge said.

Peach paused briefly, letting the words sink in. "Are you going to keep me here?"

"Yes," Dirge said softly. "Your blood is sweet. Makes me feel…strange…happy…but very tired afterward."

"You aren't going to take more blood from me tonight…are you?" Peach asked nervously.

Dirge licked her lips with her forked, black tongue. "You blood is delicious…so good… I must have more. Nothing to fear. You will not turn into vampire. I like you how you are…warm, soft, sweet, good-smelling, full of blood…and clean."

"I'm not so sure about that…" Peach frowned.

"I will wash you," Dirge said, picking her up and embracing her. "Waterfall is clean."

"That's okay!" Peach protested. "I can wash myself."

"Forest is dangerous," Dirge warned her, walking toward the exit. "Bad things will hurt you…and I will be sad."

"Why me?"

"I like you," Dirge smiled.

* * *

Peach had convinced Dirge to do nothing more than stand guard. Once Peach figured she was clean as she could be without soap, she huddled in the water and called out to Dirge, "Do you have anything I can dry myself with? A towel, maybe?" 

Dirge walked over and removed her rags, holding them out for Peach to take. Peach was surprised to see that beneath her rags was nothing but a cloud of darkness that had a vaguely feminine shape. Soon, a replacement set of rags formed over her. Peach took the rags and quickly dried herself.

"You are beautiful," Dirge smiled.

"Um, thanks," Peach said uncomfortably, wrapping the towel around her body.

"But I am confused."

"About what?"

"You are Hime-sama of Mushrooms, but…you look do not look like mushroom…or mushroom person. What are you?"

Peach opened her mouth to answer, but looked down at the ground. "I'm not really sure anymore."

"I have made you sad," Dirge frowned.

"No, it's not your fault…at least not for this," she muttered. "Dirge, how long have you been alone out here like this?"

"Long time," Dirge said wistfully. "Seiki, maybe more?"

"Wow… Was a hundred years long for you?"

"When I was alone," Dirge said, pulling Peach onto her lap as she sat at the water's edge.

"Even though you kidnapped me, and that was bad," Peach scolded gently, "I'm glad that I'm at least making you feel better."

"I would feel even better with blood…" Dirge hinted, stroking Peach's neck.

Peach stiffened, both out of fear and because of physical contact with Dirge.

"But I will not take it if it upsets you," Dirge said, wrapping her arms around her stomach and leaning her chin on top of Peach's head. It was then that Peach noticed something.

"Hey…where's my crown?"

"Was annoying," Dirge said. "I do not remember what I did with it. I cannot remember much after drinking from you."

That was strange to Peach. The last time she checked, vampires did not get memory loss after feasting. Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt Dirge nuzzling her neck and heard her teeth clicking slightly.

"It's okay," Peach sighed. "You can take a little…but just a little!"

Dirge purred, "Thank you."

Peach tried to focus on the impressive waterfall, despite the cloudy night sky blocking out the only source of light. She flinched slightly as she felt fangs sink into her neck again. After a few seconds, she felt a ticklish lick against her increasingly numb neck.

"Peachy," Dirge giggled, hugging the princess.

"You're welcome," Peach said nervously.

"Ah, I feel so alive!" Dirge sighed deeply. "I can see colors! Just look at pretty blue, crystal clear water!"

"Yes, it's nice…"

"And air! Do you smell clean, fresh, crisp air?" Dirge inhaled deeply.

"Um…"

"And your hair…" Dirge said, running her fingers through Peach's locks. "So soft…"

"Are you okay?"

"Ha, ha, ha!" Dirge giggled, leaning against Peach's back and suddenly lunging backwards onto her own. "Everything just feels so great! So excellent! So…sensual! Especially you."

"You're acting strange," Peach said, turning over on top of her in time to be embraced tightly and stroked. "Okay…that's enough of that."

"I want to make you feel beautiful," Dirge smiled, slipping her hand up the back of Peach's shirt.

"No, no!" Peach scolded, moving her hand. "You shouldn't touch people like that without permission!"

"I am sorry, Hime-sama," Dirge pouted playfully. "Would you like to feel beautiful?"

"Something is very wrong here," Peach muttered.

"I will start," Dirge said, holding onto Peach's cheeks and sitting up to kiss her. Peach struggled against her, but merely managed to fall back with Dirge now on top of her. To her relief, Dirge had stopped trying to kiss her and was actually quite still.

"Could you get off of me, please?" Peach asked.

"Tired…" Dirge mumbled sleepily, not moving an inch.

"Didn't you say the forest was dangerous?" Peach cried, struggling again. She heard Dirge's gentle snoring, making it obvious that Dirge was out cold. Peach pushed and tried to pull herself from underneath her, but Dirge simply wrapped her arms around her and snuggled against her.

"Zelda, where are you?" Peach sighed.

_Note: About the infrequent updates... It's actually because I'm still editing a lot of the new stuff. All in due time though. I'm actually over five chapters ahead of what is posted here. Now I just need time to get them polished._


	22. Lethal Bonds

**Lethal Bonds**

Ingrid and Sheik steadily made their way into the valley of Calatia. The area was seemingly empty as usual. Sheik surveyed the serene setting, with the sun high in the sky. He had not been here for decades. It had changed little.

"Have you ever been here before?" Sheik asked nostalgically.

"A few times," Ingrid said in a colder voice than usual. Then, she called out to the village, "May I speak to the leader of this village?"

"So," Jonga said, stepping from around the corner of a house, "you're still around, Ing? A friend tipped us off that you would be coming by. I have to say, it's as if you haven't aged at all since I last saw you."

"Little Jonga," Ingrid replied. "You're awfully young to be the leader of this village. I commend you."

"I earned it," she smirked. Her eyes turned to the young man beside Ingrid. "And you… I was told to expect Sheik to accompany her. That's a very accurate disguise… Are you his descendant?"

"No," Sheik replied. "I am Sheik, resurrected in spirit to serve the Royal Family of Hyrule, and resurrected in life for the same purpose and more."

"Resurrected?" Jonga said, scoffing at him. "In spirit, okay, but in life… I'm afraid that's a bit of a stretch."

"It was done with the power of the Sage of Life," Ingrid said. "And I am…"

"The Sage of Death; yeah, I remember," Jonga said. "Well, what brings such an odd pair here?"

"We're here to recruit the services of the Sheikah," Sheik answered. "We are the last race that has yet to join the fight against evil. We are needed to bring peace to Hyrule and another world in need."

"In case you haven't noticed, this isn't Hyrule," Jonga sneered. "This land is already at peace. There's no reason for us to join in another senseless war, even if some guy dressed as Sheik advises it."

"I assure you, I am the real Sheik. And you shouldn't do it for me, but rather because it's the right thing to do."

"And because I'm ordering you to as the Queen of Hyrule," Ingrid added.

"Okay, I can take a joke," Jonga said, getting annoyed, "but I think it's time for you to drop it. As fellow Sheikah, you're welcome to stay here, but I will not tolerate you trying order everyone around."

"Have you forgotten the Sheikah's promise to serve and protect the Royal Family?" Ingrid asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Don't try to lecture me, Ing!" Jonga retorted. "I know damn well about the oath to loyalty! But I don't see any of the Royal Family around here giving out any orders."

"Me."

"Don't try to pass yourself off as Queen. You may have been the King's personal whore, but that doesn't mean he would marry you. In fact, I hear the old man's been putting the moves on your little sister."

Ingrid suddenly reached out and grabbed Jonga by the throat with her telekinesis. Dozens of Sheikah came out of nowhere all around them, all with shuriken and arrows ready.

"Ingrid, calm down," Sheik said gently.

"I am calm," Ingrid replied in a deadpan voice.

"If you hurt her, we won't have a chance of getting the others to work with us," Sheik reasoned.

"Why not just kill the whole lot of them?" Ingrid asked. "Trust won't be a concern any longer."

"It's always the cold-hearted way with you, isn't it?" Jonga rasped. "Just like that so-called Fierce Deity."

"What's going on out here?" came a familiar, though sleepy voice. Morel had lurched out of one of the houses, dressed in little more than a long shawl and skirt. "Some people are trying to sleep…Huh?"

"Peach?" Sheik said in confusion.

"It's not Peach," Ingrid said, glancing at the blonde woman in the distance. Her eyes returned to Jonga. "Consorting with the enemy. I expected better of all of you."

"Enemy?" Jonga asked.

"Of course," Sheik nodded, narrowing his eyes. "She's one of those fakes… Ingrid, release her. We have a weed that needs uprooting." Ingrid let go and turned toward Morel.

"Uh-oh," Morel frowned. She rushed back into the house.

As Ingrid and Sheik walked forward, the other Sheikah stood in their way.

"Stand aside," Sheik said firmly. They didn't budge. Ingrid flicked a finger. They were all suddenly launched up into the air around Sheik and Ingrid as they began to run to the house. The airborne Sheikah, though startled were all able to catch themselves and landed safely.

"Go after them!" Jonga yelled.

Just as Sheik and Ingrid were about to reach the door, all of the people inside burst out ready to fight.

"Non-lethal, got it?" Sheik reminded her.

"Fine," Ingrid said. Using her telekinesis, she stole a short sword from a nearby man and sent him flying behind her. She blocked a sword strike and smacked her attacker with the broadside of her sword. She leaned back to dodge shuriken that were thrown at her and came back up with a hard punch into a woman's face. She picked her up by her leg and swung her around, tossing her into a small crowd that was approaching. Some of them dodged the flying body, but were knocked back by the force of her telekinesis. She teleported just as a flurry of shuriken came from behind her. She reappeared closer to Jonga to divert at least some of the attention from Sheik.

Sheik jumped into the fray with a kick that struck a man in the face. He ducked a wide slash, tripped up someone with a low sweep, and uppercut another person. He stole a dagger and backflipped behind someone who would have stabbed him in the back. He punched his assailant in the back of the head, knocking him out, and sent his elbow into the gut of someone beside him. Two people charged him from opposite sides. He jumped before they could hit, and slammed their faces together. As he landed, he broke into a spinning kick on his back, clearing his immediate area. He picked up a second dagger and immediately dashed into the house.

Morel was gathering her backpack and getting a Warp Whistle. Sheik threw the dagger, knocking the whistle out of her hand. He then threw a handful of needles at her, but she managed to take out her parasol in time to block them. He threw a Deku Nut to stun her. As she was temporarily blinded, he took away her parasol and slammed her against the wall. He held her there by her wrists.

"What are you doing here?" Sheik seethed.

"Just returning some favors!" she spat. "Guess I had bad timing, huh?"

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you right here and now," Sheik growled.

"Because I'm Peach's friend," Morel said, struggling. Sheik pulled her arms forward and planted his foot against her chest, effectively locking her in place. "Ow, you're good."

"What kind of fool do you take me for?" he yelled. "There's no way you could be her friend. Are you the same one who kidnapped her?"

"No, that was Cupcake," Morel said, still struggling in futility.

"It doesn't matter," Sheik said coldly, pulling her arms more.

"Stop! You don't know what you're doing!" Morel yelled, more in anger than in fear. "I have a schedule to keep!"

"Too bad."

She winced and managed to grab his wrists while he held onto hers. The moment Sheik felt her siphoning his strength, he removed his foot and flipped her over himself. As soon as she hit the floor on her back, he flipped himself so that he landed on her bare stomach hard.

"Aaah!" Morel yelped. "Please, get off my stomach! That really, really hurts!"

"Quiet!" he said, holding her arms down.

"Get off!" she screamed, thrashing.

"I said quiet!" he yelled, smacking her across the face. She silenced immediately, now reduced to whining. Her hair was splayed across the floor and her arms were merely squirming slightly. He frowned and held up his other dagger, aiming to plunge it into her chest.

He hesitated. She held one eye closed as she winced and took deep, strained breaths. The image of Ruto flashed through his mind. He had murdered her in a similar fashion and it had cost him much of Zelda's trust. If this doppelganger truly was a friend of Peach's, killing her would be unforgivable. Her resemblance did not help matters much.

"You can't do it…can you?" Morel asked, still wincing.

Sheik replied with a sigh. "Don't move." He stood over her and began to unwind the bandages wrapped around his fingers. He then began to tie her up with the bandages.

"You know, when you give yourself a chance, you're really gentle," Morel smiled.

"It's purely precautionary," he insisted, finishing the knot. "Judging from the lack of noise outside, I'd say Ingrid took care of things. We're going to all have a little chat about this."

* * *

Zelda stood on the edge of a tall building, surveying the city as noon approached. She had been up all night and morning looking for any sign of Peach, but she couldn't get anything more than a few scattered witnesses of the bat cloud.

"Zelda, you should get some rest," Plum said, from behind her. "I've already called the police about it. We can start looking once we have our energy reserves up."

"That shouldn't have happened," Zelda muttered. "She was right there."

"Don't beat yourself up over it," Plum frowned. "Stuff happens. We're talking about Peach, remember? She's used to getting kidnapped every couple of months or so. She'll be fine."

"At one time, that may have been true," Zelda said, narrowing her eyes as she watched the cars move along in lines like multi-colored ants. "Ever since I first met her, though, getting kidnapped was always much more than an inconvenience."

"Oh… You must be talking about the time Bowser forced her to marry him."

Zelda raised her head and turned around to look at the girl. "How did you know that?"

"It was all over the news a few months ago," Plum said uncomfortably. "It's just that no one wants to talk about it, especially with Peach around."

"I see," Zelda said, turning back.

"Listen, you're not going to make much progress moping around here like this," Plum ventured to say. "Just come inside, eat a little bit, and get some sleep."

"If Link can go for over three straight days without even a moments rest, why shouldn't I be able to?" Zelda asked.

"No offense, but…you aren't Link," Plum said.

Zelda lowered her head in contemplation. She turned around and hopped onto the roof with Plum.

* * *

Every single warrior Sheikah had been tied up and Morel was tied up in front of them. Ingrid and Sheik had gone over the details of Morel's true identity.

"So what you're telling us," Jonga said, "is that Morel here isn't real."

"Too good to be true, eh?" Firango chuckled.

"I _am_ real," Morel whined.

"But she's just a copy of another person, the original person," Sheik said with slight disgust. "To think, she's been sleeping around like this…and you all were a part of it."

"And Drow's another clone, right?" Jonga frowned. "Is she yours, Ing?"

"In a sense," Ingrid answered. "She was copied from my daughter, Zelda."

"That's funny," Firango raised an eyebrow. "Wasn't the Princess of Hyrule named Zelda?"

"They are one and the same," Ingrid said.

"You must've given the King a pretty good time," Jonga smirked. "Most bastard daughters don't get even get mentioned let alone become part of the Royal Family."

"She's legitimate," Ingrid said. "We were quietly married while I was…pregnant." She said the last word as if it were a curse.

"So, where've you been all these years, Queenie?"

"Dead," Ingrid said, raising an eyebrow. "I didn't survive long after the birth."

"So, how did you…?"

"As much as we'd like to recount the past few months or so," Sheik interrupted, "there are more important things right now. What did you tell the imposters? Morel, here, told me she was repaying a favor, but nothing more."

"Something about curse words and a guy named Smiley," Jonga answered.

"Smiley?" Ingrid said, with some surprise. When Sheik looked to her for explanation, she explained, "He was the one who captured us in Nimbus Land."

"Well, Morel," Sheik said, nudging her with his foot. "Do you have anything that might enlighten us?" Morel remained adamantly silent.

"No matter," Ingrid said. "There is no question that Smiley is a serious threat. Even though he _seems_ to be working with Ganon and Bowser, I know who his real master is…"

Morel seemed to take some interest in her words.

"The leader of the 8-Bits Club," Ingrid finished. A grim look came onto the faces of every Sheikah around.

"That can't be," Morel blurted. "Why would he?"

"He is a culmination of various creatures," Sheik explained. "There's more to him than that Garo-Phanto combo he has on. More importantly, we have stories passed down about creatures like him. He is near the top of the ranking system in the 8-Bits."

"I keep hearing that their leader's returned, but I never hear anything else about him…or her…" Morel complained.

"You will," Ingrid said, cutting the Sheikah loose. "As for you all, are you with us?"

"You had us when you mentioned the 8-Bits," Jonga sneered, standing up. "You may be our mandatory leader, but that doesn't mean we have to like you, though."

"Duly noted," Ingrid said.

"What should we do about Mory?" Firango asked.

"Would she be interested in our little Sage Revival attempt?" Sheik asked.

"No, _she_ wouldn't," Morel said, sticking her tongue out. "Now, how about letting me go, and we forget all about this?"

"I'm afraid we aren't quite as forgiving as your original," Ingrid said coldly. "We just might spare your life in the end, though."

"Sheesh, when was the last time you got laid?" Morel muttered.

Ingrid glared at her for a moment and began to walk away.

"You really don't help your situation by doing things like that," Sheik commented.

"Wouldn't be the first time I escaped a prison," Morel smirked.

"We'll see about that," Sheik said, signaling the other Sheikah to take her away.

She was taken to a small, empty shed and locked inside. As four Sheikah took their posts nearby, the shed suddenly exploded in a ball of fire. When Morel ran out, unburned and free of rope, the Sheikah instantly readied their weapons.

As they threw their knives at her, she did a drill-like dive toward them, dodging all of the blades. She rolled to her feet and jumped into the arms of the nearest guard. She pulled back to off-balance him and flipped him over herself. She blocked a high punch from behind and a low kick from her side. She ducked out from between them and backflipped several yards away, leaving Spritz Bombs in her path. The guards tried running around, but she twirled in a circle to spread bombs all around herself.

Despite the resulting ring of fire, she ran through the flames toward the house where her backpack had been. She stopped just as a puff of smoke and flame appeared before her and Sheik stood there. He threw a jab at her chest, but she caught it and pulled him into a bear hug. As he struggled to break her amazingly tight grip, she loosened her grip enough to kiss him. When he paused out of surprise, she German-suplexed him. She hopped to her feet and dashed toward the house, while he tried to regain his senses.

Ingrid teleported in front of her in a flash of green and hit her with the full force of her telekinesis. Morel was sent backwards head-over-heels, but she managed to stabilize herself on her feet. Ingrid pounded her with another invisible blow to slow her recovery. The other Sheikah, including Sheik, had already encircled them.

"You made a big mistake," Ingrid said, holding Morel against the ground with her psychic force.

"So does beating me make you feel better after losing to the Wanderer so many times?" Morel asked snidely. "You didn't think I wouldn't have a few more tricks up my sleeve, did you?"

"You're nothing like Peach," Sheik seethed. "I should have never spared you in the first place."

Suddenly, Morel broke free, having apparently used her Silence spell on Ingrid. As the Sheikah all converged on her, she jumped high in a golden aura and glided speedily toward the house. She smashed through the window and rolled across the floor as shuriken blasted into the wall above her. She nabbed her backpack and jumped through another window to buy some time.

The first thing she was able to pull out of the bag was a Super Mushroom. Quickly eating it, she grew twice as big, startling the Sheikah again. She used her backpack to block the incoming shuriken, and dug into it again. This time she managed to pull out an item that looked like a large, yellow bolt of lightning.

"Try a little Thunder Rage," she said, tossing it into the sky. Bolts of lightning rained down, each one destined to hit a Sheikah. "You're just lucky I didn't finish studying my other spells." She finally managed to pull out her Warp Whistle and began to play it, while summoning bombs and kicking them into the Sheikah around her. As the song was finished, she released a bomb the size of the house.

"See ya!" she waved as she disappeared.

The Sheikah all ran to escape the impending explosion. When the short fuse disappeared, instead of a devastating explosion, there was loud pop. The bomb burst into colorful streamers and confetti.

"Heh," was all Sheik managed to say.

"She always had a healthy sense of humor," Firango nodded.

* * *

Peach had wondered what the consequences of Dirge staying outside in the daylight would be. At first, it had been a matter of smoke rising off her back. By noon, however, Dirge's skin was graying. Eventually, she was moaning and weakly struggling to crawl away. Peach was able to pull herself from underneath her.

"Is there anything I can do to help you?" Peach asked.

"Yami…" Dirge grunted in a half-dazed state. Peach looked around and saw that the only shade was that coming from the forest. She had a very bad feeling about the forest and was hesitant to even go near it.

"Is…the forest…good?"

"Forest is…bad," Dirge panted, stopping to rest despite traveling almost no distance from her original position. "Cave…"

Peach looked up and saw the ledge to the cave. It was incredibly high up. Peach _might_ have been able to get up there herself, but there was no way she would be able to carry Dirge up there. Suddenly, she heard bushes rustling on the edge of the forest. Out stepped a cyclops in a black-belted gi. It was only slightly bigger than Peach, letting it's tongue hang out.

"I knew someone was out here," he slurped. Peach stood up and got ready to fight. To her surprise, the cyclops ran off laughing.

"Will return…" Dirge groaned, managing to raise herself up slightly with her arms before collapsing back to the ground. "Others, too."

"I think I can take them," Peach said. Then a loud growl from her stomach reminded her that she had not eaten for nearly two days. "Um…are they all cyclops?"

"Boos, Lost Souls, small vampires, walking hockey masks with dagger jammed in head, Greapers…"

"Okay, that's out of the question," Peach said, beginning to panic. "Let's try this." She began to use her healing powers on Dirge.

"Erngh!" Dirge grunted. As sparkles surrounded her, she began to writhe in pain.

"Sorry! Sorry!" Peach said, quickly canceling the spell.

"Not your…fault," Dirge smiled weakly.

"They're over there," the voice of the cyclops could be heard.

"Oh, no!" Peach squealed. "What should I do?"

"Run…" Dirge panted.

"What about you?"

"I do not matter," Dirge said. "Now, go!"

Peach hesitated and thought quickly. She knelt down to Dirge and helped her sit up so that she leaned against Peach. "Take some of my blood. It will give you your strength back."

"But you are too weakened!" Dirge protested with some alarm. "No food, little water… And if I take much more, I might…"

"I'll be fine!" Peach insisted, presenting the side of her neck.

"You do not understand!" Dirge said desperately.

"If we don't do something, we'll be overrun!" Peach replied. "I can't outrun them in a forest full of them by myself. And you can't defend yourself like this."

"…Very well," Dirge relented, now a light gray. She sunk her fangs into Peach's neck and began to feed. Peach could feel her energy fading away quickly. She hadn't had enough to time to recover after the last few feedings, especially without food. Dirge felt some of her energy return, though the sun was still giving her quite a bit of trouble. The sweet taste of Peach's blood was like heaven though. She forced herself to break away and lapped at Peach's neck to close the wound. She pulled herself to her feet and took Peach onto her back. She slowly floated into the air.

"There they are!" the cyclops announced from below. Dirge and Peach looked down to see him surrounded by Greapers, Boos and cyclops.. The Greapers and Boos turned their heads to the side in slight perplexity. They glanced at one another and nodded before disappearing. The Greapers reappeared briefly to disembowel the group of cyclops, much to Peach's horror. They never reappeared to pursue her.

Once Dirge reached the ledge, she trudged into the relative darkness of the Chamber of Light. Once she was in the center, she collapsed. Peach crawled off her back and lay down next to her, equally exhausted.

"Thank you," muttered Peach as she fell asleep.

Sometime later, Peach awakened, though she did not feel well at all. She had a headache to match her stomachache. Her energy seemed as if it had not recovered at all. She saw Dirge lying still beside her, still looking sickly gray. The rays of light around her were gone. Peach managed to get to her feet and cautiously neared the exit. With a quick peek outside, it was easy to see that the sun was long gone. The sky was cloudless, presenting all of the sparkling stars. It was a beautiful sight as always.

Her stargazing was interrupted when she realized that Dirge should have been up by now. She quickly went back into the cave to check on her. "Dirge, are you awake? I know you're not feeling well, but…I really need something to eat."

"So sorry," Dirge spoke quietly and sadly. "Never meant for this to happen…"

"What's wrong?" Peach asked worriedly. "Are you still hurt from the sunlight?"

"I have sunburns…" Dirge began, still lying against the floor. "But that is not why I am dying."

"Dying! What's wrong? Maybe I can fix it? Here, take some more of my…"

"No more," Dirge said, presenting a smile. "You have no more to spare."

"But…"

"Your blood…it is sweet, nourishing…and poisonous to me."

"What?"

"I felt strange after drinking," Dirge smiled nostalgically. "Reminded me of when I tried to eat mushrooms that grow in forest. But mushrooms never hurt or made me tired later. Somehow…you are different."

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Peach said guiltily.

"Smiley knew would happen," Dirge chuckled bitterly. "Now, I die. Later, you die…unless…"

"Unless what?"

"Make star shine. Use power to call for help."

"I can't make my voice go that far," Peach frowned.

"Use mind voice," Dirge said. "Ask friend for help like before when I met you."

"Oh, you mean like telepathy? But…where should I tell her to come? I have no idea where we are."

"Aokigahara," Dirge said in one faint breath.

"…Sea of Trees?" Peach asked.

"By Fuji-san," Dirge added.

Peach began to call on the Shining Star, but paused. "Won't this hurt you?"

"Yes," Dirge smiled gently. "But I will join Gomess in next world faster. Do not feel bad…"

"You can't know how sorry I am about all of this…" Peach frowned.

* * *

Zelda rode alongside Plum on a train back to her condo. Both were feeling low after another day of failing to find any whereabouts of Peach. They had stayed up well into the night just to get in some extra search time. They said nothing as they got off at their stop and began to walk down the block to the condo.

Zelda suddenly jumped in surprise as she felt someone calling to her. She looked all about herself, noticing that her vision was turning slightly white.

"Is something wrong?" Plum asked.

"It's Peach!" Zelda said, holding her head. "In a place called Okigara…Akihara…Okinawa…I can't get it right… It's a sea of trees."

"Sea of trees…" Plum thought carefully. "That rings a bell…"

"It's a cursed forest," Zelda added. "Near…Mr. Fuji?"

"Mr. Fuji?" Plum exclaimed. "That doesn't make any…OH! She means Fuji-san! And that must mean she's near Aokigahara!"

"Do you know where that is?" Zelda asked hopefully.

"I sure do!" Plum smiled, taking out her cell phone. "The military trains out there all the time."

She dialed a number and spoke in a language Zelda could not understand, though it seemed slightly familiar. She noticed that Plum seemed confused at a certain point in the conversation. After hanging up, Zelda inquired what was wrong.

"They said they already got a call from you," Plum said, blinking confusedly. "They said you showed up on the base, told them the situation, and left just a few minutes ago. You didn't teleport while I wasn't looking, did you?"

"No. But I think I know who was impersonating me."


	23. The Land of Wo

**The Land of Wo**

Zelda walked onto the rooftop, which was bathed in the orange light of the sunset. She was surprised to see Peach standing at the edge, staring into the twilight sky. She had her crown, a pink robe, and bandages wrapped around her neck.

"Peach, you shouldn't be up," Zelda scolded gently. "Why are you out here?"

"Just paying my respects," Peach replied sullenly, pouring dust into the wind.

Zelda frowned slightly, not really wanting to see the situation from her perspective. "I don't mean to disturb you, but I insist that you return to bed. Plum will have some nice hot soup ready for you soon."

"I heard that the Wo we're looking for is near Aokigahara," Peach said.

"Right off of the coast," Zelda said, taking Peach's hand. "But I can't push you right now. You'll need a few weeks to be back up to full speed. You have your excuse," Zelda smiled. "Now try to enjoy it, okay?"

"Okay."

* * *

By the next month, it was decided that the time was right. Peach, Zelda, and Plum rode out on small fishing boat to the Island of Wo, being escorted by the military in secret. Though the military was nowhere in sight along the blue sea, Plum assured Peach and Zelda that there were aircraft high in the sky and submarines far below the water. If something came within a hundred miles of them, the military would know it. 

At first, the water was calm and the sun was shining bright. The air was chilly, but the wind was relatively calm. The island was merely a black crag jutting out of the sea in the distance. As they got closer, however, dark clouds began to gather overhead. Waves began to toss the boat about. The wind blew heavily, seemingly attempting to knock over the ship. Rain began to pour down onto the ship like tiny needles dropped from the heavens. Thunder and lightning soon followed.

"Zelda," Plum said, clutching the wheel. "This storm's too heavy. Try playing the Song of Storms."

"Why would you want more stormy weather?" Zelda called back over the thunder and crashing waves.

"Just try it!" Plum called out. "We're almost there."

Zelda sighed and took out her lyre. After playing a few notes, the waves settled somewhat. The lightning went further into the distance. The thunder was gone. The rain stopped completely. However, the clouds still gathered. It was as dark as dusk.

"This can't last long," Zelda said, looking at the ominously calm surroundings. Fortunately, they were able to pull up next to the rocky coast of a ledge that stretched outward above the water.

"You're on your own from here on out," Plum waved as they climbed onto the ledge. "If you need anything, and I mean _anything_, just send us a message. Everyone's on standby."

"Right, thank you," Zelda nodded absentmindedly. Her mind was focused on the very foreboding mass of rock before her. The island itself was rather small, but it had a rocky crag reaching high into the sky like aspire. Directly ahead of them, there was a cave of some sort.

"Zelda…" Peach whimpered. "I…I don't know…"

Zelda gently took her hand and smiled. "We'll get through this. After all of the other things we've been through, I'm sure this won't be much different. A little walking, maybe some opposition, a critical moment…maybe even a boss."

"What if _she's_ the boss?" Peach asked worriedly.

"Well, we managed to handle _my_ mother," Zelda giggled, squeezing her hand. "Let's just take our time, okay?"

"Right," Peach said, taking a breath.

They walked into the cave and found it to be a dark, narrow passageway. Eventually, they noticed light at the end of the tunnel. When they finally reached the end, they found a solid wall there. The source of the light was a single, but slightly large white fairy.

"Peach, Zelda?" the fairy spoke in a slightly high-pitched voice. "Is that you?"

"Yes, it's us," Zelda replied. "Have we met?"

"You don't recognize me like this, but it's the Shining Fairy," she spoke, flicking about. "You're here to see the Wanderer?"

"Yes… Why are you like this?"

"It is not by choice… The areas beyond are tainted with an evil curse. The other fairies and I came here as soon as we could break through the seal that had been put up. However, there was a trap here waiting for us. We were all here waiting for you to show up. If we can't get through, we want to at least help you through." She flew in circles around the two women, spreading fairy dust all around them. When the haze of light subsided, they were in a bigger cavern. There were balls of light mysteriously floating everywhere.

"What are those?" Zelda asked.

"Those _were_ fairies," the Shining Fairies voice said faintly. "Now they are nothing more than wisps, thanks to that masked fiend. Continue along the path straight ahead. When you reach the next cavern, my sister will tell you what to do next."

Peach and Zelda continued onward through the cave, wary of the silent balls of light. The sparkling mineral deposits only put them even more ill at ease. So far, though, there had been no immediate danger.

The next cavern was also filled with balls of light, though there was a mysterious fog swirling about the floor. With the exception of a few raised areas and stalagmites, it was impossible to see the floor.

"Zelda, I don't feel so good," Peach cringed.

"Everything will be all right," Zelda responded.

'No, I mean I feel…wrong," Peach clarified. "It's as if I'm in that creepy temple again."

A winged flicker of black soon flew up to them. "Good, you're here," it said.

"Why does everything feel so…weird?" Peach asked uncomfortably.

"The floor above us is laced with Death Metal," the Fairy of the Depths answered. "This area is safe though. Just watch your step." They followed her through one of several passageways before she stopped at another dead end.

"There's an unseen hole in the floor before us," the fairy said. "Please, step through." Zelda went first, followed by Peach, and the fairy followed.

They landed on a crater-filled landscape full of miniature hills. The area was dark, the land was purple, and they seemed to be on a small island surrounded by water. However, there was sufficient light coming from the many stars lying around or imbedded in the ground. There were bright green starflowers lighting the way as well. There were even massive structures that looked like crystal stars with keyholes in them.

"Wait a minute," Peach said, no longer feeling ill. "This is Star Hill!"

"Do you know this place?" Zelda asked.

"It's a few hours walk from my kingdom!" Peach replied. "I came here to recover one of the Star Pieces when Smithy invaded."

"You're going to have to tell me about this Smithy one of these days," Zelda sighed.

"This is where wishing stars come once wishes have been heard at Star Haven," Peach said. "There are so many stars… No one's wishes must have been granted lately."

"You two must have taken the long way here," the fairy said. "I came here through Shooting Star Summit. That last place we were in was underneath the Shadow Temple."

"You mean we were just in Hyrule?" Zelda asked.

"Yes. The area where the Wanderer lies is connected to many worlds and lands. Now follow me." The fairy flew over the water, waiting for them to jump in. They hesitantly did so and followed the fairy underwater. It was hard to see her in the dark, but fortunately, she was blacker than anything else. They moved under the island and found a star-shaped door.

Once they passed through, they found themselves in total darkness, though no longer underwater. "Follow my voice," the fairy said. "The next area will be dangerous for Peach. The floor is covered in Dark Matter. Zelda, you'll have to carry her over it."

"Won't it harm me as well?" Zelda asked.

"The worst that will happen to you is that your feet will fall asleep," the fairy assured her. "We won't be there long."

Soon, they reached the entrance to the next room. The walls and ceiling, if there were any, were completely white. In contrast, the floor appeared to be made of some sort of inky, purplish-black substance. Zelda took Peach onto her back and walked through the ankle-high substance. She felt Peach trembling horrendously on her back. Once she was on the other side, she did not know what to do. There was merely white before her.

"Allow me," the Fairy of the Depths said, spreading as much of her dust around Zelda as she could. "Now, step into the void." Zelda walked into the white.

The next chamber was massive. It was even bigger than Lon Lon Ranch. It was also well-lit thanks to the white void surrounding the edges. At the center of the chamber was a rocky island that seemed to have its own cave, though it was incredibly far away. The rock floor was broken up into mini-islands, each large enough to hold a few people. They were more like large stepping-stones. A strange white, bubbling goo separated each island and took up the bulk of the chamber. The glowing goo unnerved Zelda somewhat. It was giving off even more light than the white barriers.

"Zelda, be careful not to fall into the slime around you," the fairy's voice said faintly. "It is Liquid Light. It will do horrible things to your body and soul. Peach is free to take a swim in it if she wants to, though," she said with some humor.

"I'm assuming you won't be risking yourself with this much of it around," Zelda said.

"Correct," the fairy said. "That island in the center is surrounded by this moat as well as a moat of darkness. With the right mindset, you should be able to get through easily enough. Be careful, though. I fear the one known as Smiley is waiting for you. Good luck."

Zelda shuddered and looked tired. "Well, then…let's move along."

"Are you okay," Peach asked worriedly. "It's okay to turn back."

"Ohhh, no," Zelda smiled, wagging a finger as she hopped to the first stepping-stone. "You're not getting out of this that easily. I can handle this at least as well as you handled the Shadow Temple."

"But Zelda," Peach said, floating ahead of her and facing her. "That was Death Metal. This stuff is purer."

"It doesn't matter," Zelda said, jumping next to her. "Our goal is within sight. There's no point in turning back now." Zelda jumped several stones ahead of her and turned back. "Are you coming?"

"Yes…" Peach sighed, catching up to her.

As they got closer to the center, each stepping stone became longer. Soon, they were on a large circular platform of gray rock. After hopping down off of that, they no longer had to worry about the Liquid Light. They were on relatively solid, if somewhat hilly, smooth ground. They were nearing the river of darkness that surrounded the innermost island. The "water" was black as tar. There were reasonably sized stepping-stones, obviously carved out of Death Metal. They had a purplish glow, and gave off small particles of darkness.

Before they were within twenty feet of the river, they both stopped in their tracks. They felt an evil presence nearby. At the edge of the river, they saw a figure in a brown cloak rise out of the ground eerily, with its back turned to them.

"Ah, I see you've finally made it here," he said.

"Smiley, I presume?" Zelda ventured.

"The one and only," he cackled, slowly turning around. He looked very much like a Garo. However, he wore a Phanto Mask over the opening of his hood. Half the side of the mask was gold. The other side was red. The black eye holes were narrow and slightly arched. The black mouth was curved into a creepy smile.

"Hmph," Zelda smirked, unimpressed despite the invisible aura he was giving off. "You're just a crazed Garo with a strange mask. So tell me, are you the boss, a mini-boss, or just an overconfident grunt."

"Ha, ha, ha!" Smiley laughed, his mask rotating. "All of the above in one sense or another…"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Zelda sneered.

"Oh, you'll find out…if you live that is," he added in a sinisterly low voice. "You see, as much as I'd like to cut, claw, and cleave your flesh, I have other matters to attend to. Frankly, beyond the pleasure of butchering you beautiful nymphs, you aren't worth my time."

"So, you're here just to scare us?" Peach frowned. "How did you even get into a place like this?"

"I came here for so much more than to see you wet yourselves," he chuckled. "You see, your mother and I go way back. I originally took time out of my busy schedule to visit her. The slime was no problem for me to avoid, but I'm afraid the fairies proved too much of distraction. So, I instead decided to have a little fun with the fairies, as you've no doubt seen."

"What did you do to them?" Peach demanded.

"The same thing that's going to happen to you two," he cackled, as his mask shook and rotated disturbingly. "Except I have a little extra something for you two!" His body disappeared and his mask crumpled out of existence as if it were a piece of paper. His laugh echoed throughout the chamber momentarily.

"I hate him!" Peach grumbled.

"I don't care much for him either," Zelda said, surveying their surroundings. "He seems to be gone though. We have to be very careful. Most villains tend not to make idle threats."

Suddenly a puff of smoke came over them. When the smoke cleared, it seemed to them as if they had shrunken down to half their original height. When they looked to one another to see if they were okay, they both jumped back in shock.

Zelda looked exactly like as she did when she was ten. She even had on her silk and cotton headdress as well as the few articles of gold jewelry. Peach on the other hand looked vastly different. She was slightly shorter than a Toad. Her small dress was white with a red ribbon around her waist and the hem of her dress. Her eyes were still blue, but they were small and beady. Her proportions matched those of a Toad rather than a human. Her crown remained the same, but was now a tad too big for her head.

"Peach, what happened to you?" Zelda cried. She was surprised to hear her own childhood voice. "Your nose is gone!"

Peach touched her face with her stubby fingers and gasped. "He turned us into children!" Her voice was even more child-like than Zelda's. "I think I'm…four years old," she said, feeling the blank spot where her nose would have been.

"I'm definitely ten," Zelda said, looking at herself. "I suppose this is what happened to the fairies. The regular ones reverted to whatever they were before fairies. And the Great Ones were demoted to lesser forms. But why are our ages like this. If anything, you should be the one who's older."

"He's playing a mean trick," Peach frowned. "This was the worst time in my whole life."

"Hmm…" Zelda snapped her fingers repeatedly, only managing to create a single spark. "We'd better hurry along. Our magic is much weaker like this."

"Right," Peach nodded. She noticed that Zelda was still anxious about the way Peach looked. "If I ever had a reason to see my mother, I guess this would be it."

They walked a few steps before a female voice said, "Don't be in a such a hurry, ya majesties." They turned backward to see the source of the cockney accent.

There stood a completely black version of the adult Zelda It was as if she was completely bathed in shadow, except for her orange, glowing eyes. She had a cocky grin on her face. "What'sa matta? Neva seen ya dark side before?"

"Oh, no…" Zelda cringed, backing up with Peach.

"No point in goin' thataway," she chuckled.

Peach and Zelda turned around to see the dark version of Peach as a child rising out of the dark river and walking onto the rock. She was not as dark, having a smoky black appearance instead of the onyx black of Dark Zelda. Her eyes were white and hollow. Instead of a smirk like Zelda's counterpart, she had an expression that resembled melancholy and contempt.

"No!" Peach squeaked. "Go away!" Dark Peach made no reply, simply walking toward them.

"This wasn't expected," Zelda muttered. She had no idea what to do in her current state. "What do you plan to do to us?"

"Oh, don't worry your 'lil head off," Dark Zelda said, crouching down to her level and smiling. "I'm not here to sodomize ya."

"…Okay," Zelda said uncomfortably. "What are you here to do?"

"Well, first," Dark Zelda grinned, "I just wanted to say how unhappy I was after that Dark Link incident."

"Something we can agree on…" Zelda said cautiously.

"I know we do; I'm a part of you, rememba? It was rather unsporting of that wanker to just come out of the blue like that and 'ave 'is with us. If he 'ad just stayed in his 'lil disguise, I'll bet you that we would be bent over in front of him this very minute."

Zelda blushed. "I don't…"

"A girl couldn't ask for better shaftin' and shaggin," she continued thoughtfully. "We both know we were really gaggin' for it."

"Could you not…" Zelda attempted to say.

"Our belly was right full of spuff," Dark Zelda chuckled. "And yet that roota always had a stiffy for stuffing and I every time I think about it, I just…"

"Shut up, you bloody twit!" Zelda blurted angrily, covering her own mouth instantly. "Ahem… I rather dislike that particular dialect and I don't care for that subject matter."

"Right, then," Dark Zelda stood up. "No need to get your knickers in a twist. I 'spose I shouldjust move right onto the killing."

"Killing!" Zelda shrieked.

"What can I say?" Dark Zelda chuckled. "Dark Link ain't comin' back with you around. And I don't much care for the little cow, either," she said, nodding toward Peach. Peach's eyes were locked on her own silent counterpart.

"_Peach,"_ Zelda telepathed to her. "_When I say go, run for the central island. Go!"_ Peach ran past her dark self with Zelda, but Dark Zelda teleported right in front of them.

"Don't worry none," Dark Zelda said, still with that smirk on her face. "You'll have plenty of time to say your prayers. I don't aim take you out that fast." She raised an arm and charged it with dark energy. Zelda was in no position to do anything. Peach's attention was still on her counterpart.

Suddenly, a ray of light shined onto Dark Zelda, who instantly teleported some distance to the side. Everyone looked to see where the light had come from. Drow and Morel landed nearby, neither dressed like Zelda or Peach. Morel wore a red sweater, black bicycle shorts, and white gloves. Drow wore a long white blouse and a long, somewhat elegant blue skirt. Both had grown slightly fitter.

Morel stepped forward, folding her arms, "The position of evil doppelganger has been filled!"

"Stay out of this," Dark Peach said quietly.

"Now, then," Drow grinned, stretching her arms. "I'll finally be able kill Zelda guilt-free."

"Is that so?" Dark Zelda asked, sweeping Zelda aside with a psychic blast. "Well, to perfectly honest, I've been lookin' forward to thrashin' you, luv."

Dark Peach watched as Peach took her chance to run toward the Dark Water. When Dark Peach took a step to follow, she yelped as Morel grabbed her hair.

"Where do you think you're going, small fry?"

"Let me go," Dark Peach said with little emotion.

"Why are you helping us?" Zelda asked, also beginning to follow Peach's lead.

"I don't think you need to worry about that," Morel smiled. "Now, get going. We'll handle these two."

"Good enough for me," Zelda sighed, running after Peach.


	24. Facing the Darkness Within

**Facing the Darkness Within**

"You know," Drow began, "I only vaguely remember Zelda ever having that style of speech."

"Neva was much for the Queen's Hylian, luv," Dark Zelda smirked. "Now, then, are we gonna' chitchat all day or fight."

"Of course we're going to…" Drow started, before she was knocked into the distance by the sheer force of Dark Zelda's telekinesis.

"Sweetie!" Morel screamed, releasing Dark Peach. Dark Peach sank into the ground instantly.

"She flew right far, didn't she?" Dark Zelda chuckled, turning to Morel. "Didja want to join her? I'm sure I could make a cow fly, too."

"Oh yeah?" Morel seethed. Dark Zelda teleported right in front of her with a punch in the nose.

"Not that I aim to." After immediately recoiling, Morel swung at her, but Dark Zelda dropped into a shadow on the ground and resurfaced behind her. She held Morel in place with her psychic powers. "Instead, I think I'll have a wee bit o' fun."

"Hua!" Morel yelped, squirming. "Keep your psychic fingers to yourself! I didn't actually think you swung that way."

"I don't," Dark Zelda said, walking around in front of her and leaning uncomfortably close. "But that won't stop me from messin' with ya outta spite. With Peachy the way she is, I can't much rip her tits off the way I can with you, luv."

"You're sick!" Morel yelled, feeling her insides being squeezed. Morel began to glow yellow before giving off a flash of mysterious light. Dark Zelda was stunned long enough for Morel to land several punches in her face and stomach. Dark Zelda caught the final punch and swung her onto the ground. While still holding her arm, she mashed the heel of her shoe onto Morel's breast.

As Morel writhed in pain, Dark Zelda commented, "Oh, come on now. I remember you puttin' up a better fight than this. All that exercise for nothing, eh?" She produced the Gilded Sword out of nowhere and pointed it at Morel's stomach. "For a person who's been working out, you've gotten a little weight on ya."

"Back off!" Morel yelled angrily. She yelped as Dark Zelda mashed her heel further.

"Hmph!" Dark Zelda would have stabbed her stomach, but Morel grabbed the blade with her bare hands, cutting them badly. She glowed once again and gave off another flash of light. She tripped up Dark Zelda, grabbed the sword, and jammed it into the ground through Dark Zelda's chest.

"It's gonna' take more than that," Dark Zelda chuckled, disappearing with the sword. Drow appeared in her placed with a blast of light.

"Damn!" Drow cursed. "Did she hurt you, Dearest?"

"I'll be fine," Morel said, healing herself. "We're both okay."

"Where'd the little one go?" Drow asked.

"Crap!" Morel said, turning toward the dark river. "Let's go!" As they began to run, Dark Zelda reappeared and ran Drow through the shoulder with the Gilded Sword.

"Honey!" Morel shrieked as Drow fell over. She swung at Dark Zelda, who went into a leg sweep and caught her by her leg. "Let me go!"

"I'm not through with you yet," Dark Zelda smiled.

"Neither am I!" Drow yelled, fully healed. She jumped up and grabbed onto Dark Zelda with both arms.

"I wouldn't try anything funny if I were you," Dark Zelda sneered, charging the arm holding Morel full of dark energy. "Unless you want fried shroom."

"Heh," Drow chuckled with a toothy grin. "Snookums, would you mind?"

"Gotcha," Morel said, disappearing in a flurry of hearts.

"Wha?" Dark Zelda said in confusion.

"Come with me," Drow grinned, disappearing with Dark Zelda.

After Peach ran away from the scene, she stopped at the dark river, and ran along its edge.

"Peach, wait for me!" Zelda cried out, chasing her. Eventually, she found Peach huddled under an overhang near the river. "I think our clones will keep them busy. We should move along and cross this river. Can you still float?"

"No," Peach said in a distressed voice. "I don't want to go. Can't we just go back home? Why do we really need the Wanderer?"

"Don't talk like that. This is no time to fall apart. I'll carry you across the river if I have to."

"That wouldn't be a good idea," Dark Peach said, melding out of the wall next to Peach.

"Aaah!" Peach shrieked, scampering away.

"Go back into the hole you crawled out of," Zelda yelled, punching Dark Peach across her jaw. The dark one fell over and looked irritated, but physically hurt. Zelda looked at her cautiously before running after Peach again.

Peach had climbed up onto a small cliff and was panting. Zelda stood at the bottom of the cliff and looked up to her. "Just calm down, Peach. What are you so afraid of? She's so weak, I can get rid of her with my bare hands." Peach looked at something behind herself, out of Zelda's view, screamed, and tried to jump across the river. She landed in the shallow end of the opposing shore, but quickly scrambled out of it. Her legs went numb instantly and she fell over, struggling to pull herself further away from the river.

"Don't be so rash!" Zelda scolded her. Zelda began to climb up the wall and soon reached the top of the cliff just as Dark Peach sank into the ground. Zelda looked down at the other side of the river as a shadow on the ground followed Peach up a hill. Zelda looked back at the river. Even though Peach still had unusual jumping prowess, Zelda knew that she herself did not at age ten. She did not want to risk immersing herself in the highly concentrated Dark Water, but she also didn't want to touch the Death Metal platforms. She hurriedly began looking for a new way across.

Meanwhile, Peach was desperately trying to get away from the shadow following her. With only her small arms, she powered up the increasingly steep hill. Finally, she reached a small plateau of sorts. There was a sheer wall in front of her, unfortunately. She turned onto her back and watched as her dark self arose before her.

"No more running," Dark Peach said quietly.

"Are you going to kill me?" Peach whimpered.

"You misunderstand me, and yourself. I am your dark side, not your evil side. They are not one and the same."

"What do you mean?"

"Look over there," Dark Peach said, turning around. She pointed down to the fight going on between Morel and Dark Zelda. "Do you see that pitiful half of Zelda?"

"She looks like she's winning," Peach whined.

"A fractured mind and soul," Dark Peach said, turning back to face Peach. "Every half of a soul, be it dark or light, is not meant to exist on its own. They are incomplete, contradictory, and often self-destructive. That dark halfling there is full of nothing more than what Zelda hides deep within: a mean, raunchy, despicable woman with a vulgar manner of speaking not fit for royalty. But like anything else, she has her merits."

"Like what?"

"She's winning. She seems to represent Zelda's power and cunning. Look at how easily she has pinned Morel, a person we personally know to be skilled at wrestling and hand-to-hand combat. The real Zelda would not be able to do such a thing because of the manner of her dominant light side."

"Then, what do you represent?" Peach asked meekly.

"We both know the answer to that question," Dark Peach said. Suddenly, Zelda grabbed her into a headlock from behind.

"Mind filling me in?" Zelda gritted her teeth.

"Don't interfere," Dark Peach rasped, squirming.

"Don't struggle!" Zelda barked. "I may be a child, but I can still break your neck!"

"Zelda, let her go!" Peach exclaimed.

"You're taking this mercy thing too far!" Zelda yelled. "She's evil!"

"No she's not!" Peach yelled back. "She's just a scared, sad little girl!"

"She doesn't look terribly frightened to me," Zelda sneered.

"This would be her dark side's action," Dark Peach said.

"Shut up!" Zelda yelled.

"Had I wanted to harm her," Dark Peach reasoned, "I would not be the one with bruises on my face."

"She has a point," Peach said.

"Are you siding with her?" Zelda said in disbelief.

"If you will simply let me speak to her," Dark Peach said. "I'm sure that will be enough."

"Just don't try anything," Zelda said, holding onto the little girl tightly.

"As I was saying, Peach, you know deep down inside what I represent. I am merely a physically manifested copy of what exists inside of you. Obviously, I am weak, but I also contain the bulk of your intelligence. More importantly, I embody your sadness. Zelda, do you remember what you asked Peach on your second visit to that haunted mansion in Dinosaur Land. It was a question she refused to answer."

"…Why she hates her mother?" Zelda remembered. "It's obvious. The Wanderer has blatantly committed unforgivable crimes in the past. I had my doubts at first, but Hanayaka's words only support what those ghosts portrayed. Not that it proves…"

"What she might or might not have done before our birth is irrelevant," Dark Peach said more coldly. "When you first asked about her, our mother, we were already hesitant to say much. Isn't that right?"

Peach nodded slowly.

"That's because we hate her," Dark Peach said with contempt. "We've always hated her."

"That's not true!" Peach spoke up. She instantly became meek again as her eyes began to shimmer. "We…I haven't always hated her…"

"The form we are in marks Peach's descent into hate," Dark Peach said. "Perhaps the same goes for you as well, Zelda."

"I was this age when Ganondorf first declared his allegiance with my father," Zelda frowned. "It's just as well…"

"It was at this tender age," Dark Peach began, "that our mother… Shall I tell her Peach? Or would you?"

Peach's eyes were on the ground and beginning to overflow with water.

"What is it, Peach?" Zelda asked gently.

"She abandoned us!" Dark Peach said angrily. "She made us think that she loved us. She let us open our heart to her…just so she could stick a thousand needles in it."

"Peach, is that true?" Zelda asked. "I thought you said she…died. But she couldn't really be dead if she's the Wanderer…could she?"

"I…" Peach choked, as the first stream of tears ran down her cheeks.

"Tell me what happened," Zelda said to Peach, releasing the dark one. She walked to Peach and kneeled down to take her hands.

"It was a horrible day…" Peach whimpered. "The clouds were all dark and sad… Rain was pouring… We were all gathered outside the castle. Daddy was there. So were Grandma and Toadsworth. Grandma held my hand… I saw that everyone looked sad…but I didn't know why. Then…there was Mommy…"

Peach paused to sniffle. "She looked the saddest of all. She was wearing a dark gray cloak and hood, something I had never seen her wear before. I remember seeing her crying to herself before…but I had always cheered her up… I ran to her to make her feel better. I hugged her…but that only made her sadder… She was crying. She made me cry. And then…she told me she was leaving. She wouldn't say where…or why… She promised to come back… She said Grandma and Daddy and the others would take care of me until she got back. I begged her not to go. I didn't want her to leave. Grandma took my hand and pulled me back and hugged me. She was crying, too. And then, Mommy walked away. She left us. I cried a lot…so much that I got sick. The others promised me that she would be back. I waited for days and weeks…but nothing. The others said she would probably be back in a few months. So, I waited. I practiced my ABCs and counting and colors and everything, just so I could make her proud of me when she came back. Weeks turned into months…and months turned into years…" Peach stared blankly at the ground, her tears running down her cheek without a single sob.

"Oh, Peach…" Zelda frowned in sympathy.

"She pretended to be our best friend," Dark Peach seethed, also having tears run down her cheeks. "She pretended to love us. But in fact, she hated us. She was ashamed of us…a freakish hybrid of human and Toad. That's why she left us. Who could love something like us?"

"You know that's not true," Zelda said gently.

"No, we don't," both of them said simultaneously.

"That's why we said she was dead," Dark Peach continued. "She's dead to us."

"Then…what do you plan to do once you confront her…if you confront her?" Zelda asked.

Peach sniffled and put her hand on her forehead in distress.

"The light side is at a loss I see," Dark Peach sneered. "Pitiful. I know precisely what is to be done. She is loathsome enough from personal experience, but to know that she has murdered hundreds, thousands, even millions… We will first confirm whether these accusations are true or simply lies. And after that…we will kill her."

"What!" Zelda exclaimed. "You can't be serious! Peach?" Peach buried her head into the cloth of Zelda's dress, crying.

"As I said," Dark Peach frowned, staring down at Peach, "I am merely a physical manifestation of what is already within her as we speak. She feels everything I feel: the hatred, the betrayal, our loss, our anger, and all of our sorrow. Regardless of what our mother did in the ancient past, she deserves to die for what she did to us!"

"Do you really think you'll be able to take down the Wanderer of all people?" Zelda asked, frowning at the dark one.

"She won't resist," Dark Peach said, turning to walk down the hill. "Once she has to face us, she won't have the will to fight back. If need be, I'll drag her out here and drown her in this blackened moat with my bare hands." She stopped to look down at the scene where the clones had been fighting Dark Zelda. The battlefield was clear of anyone. "It seems your dark side has finally sealed her fate. You can both go home. _No sense in looking for someone who's dead_." She continued to walk down the hill, where the cave could be found.

Zelda looked down the hill at her and then back at Peach. "Peach, stay here, okay? I'll be right back." Peach sat on the cold bare ground as Zelda quickly made her way down the hill. Peach's eyes remained on the ground, knowing what was going to happen in a matter of seconds. She heard a muffled scream, and then, silence. Zelda slowly came back up the hill, panting. She walked to Peach and offered a hand.

Peach looked up sullenly, wiping away her tears. "Zelda…I don't think I can…"

"Whatever decision you make," Zelda said softly, "I will respect it. This is between _you_ and _your_ mother. It has nothing to do with me, or a copy of a piece of your soul. It has to do with you, all of you." Peach slowly took her hand and got to her feet. Zelda never let go of her hand as they walked down the hill and to the cave.

As they walked through the cave, large crystals along the cave walls lit the tunnel. The rock was a pretty dark blue. It reminded Peach of Star Hill in that it was dark, but serenely unthreatening. When they finally reached the end of tunnel, there was a round, shiny hatch. Zelda loosened it and opened it to reveal a ladder.

After they climbed down, they found themselves in a cozy room that had walls made of the same rock as the previous tunnel. The floor was hardwood though and there were three separate pathways into other rooms. The one immediately in front of them had a wooden door. The pathway to the left was lit. The pathway to the right was lit, but the lights turned off in that room. Peach grew anxious as she heard footsteps coming from that room.

Instead of her mother, it was a middle-aged female Magikoopa in a pink robe. Her short, stringy hair was a fading blue color. Her eyeglasses were not the thick-lensed or thick-rimmed variety that most had. Instead, they were thin and her brown Koopa eyes could clearly be seen. Her hat was a pink witch hat. She seemed only mildly surprised at Peach's presence.

"Peach?" she inquired. "Is that you, little one?"

"Kamile? Peach said. "What are you doing here?" Zelda briefly raised an eyebrow, but remained quiet.

"Oh, I visit every so often," she said casually. "She appreciates having company. I'll take you to her. Right this way."

She led them through the left path. It was a fully furnished living room with flowerpots, a sofa, chairs, and a few pictures along the walls. Many of the pictures were of Peach and/or her family. There were also a few paintings of people that Peach did not know. There were two doors across from one another in front of them. There were also two doors at the corners opposite of the trio. Kamile led them to door at the other side of the room on the left.

She knocked and said loudly, "I don't mean to interrupt, but you have a couple of visitors." There was no answer. Kamile shrugged, saying to the two girls, "She usually can't hear me when she's in there," and reached for the knob. Peach gulped nervously as the knob turned and the lock clicked as the door opened.

_Notes:_ _Hopefully, the updates should increase slightly. I have a lot of chapters in stock. Who knows...maybe I'll be able to put up two or three chapters a month..._


	25. Confessions

**Confessions **

The room was circular and almost as large as Zelda's courtyard. The floor had malachite grass covering it entirely. The walls were the same as the rest of the abode, except they were covered in glowing star shapes that were of various sizes. They slowly dimmed to near darkness and brightened back up in a repeating pattern. There was no ceiling, just a black abyss above that was pierced by a single beam of light at the far end of the room where a lone figure in a blue Shaman-esque robe knelt.

There were statues scattered about the room, almost as one would find in a cemetery, some of which Peach and Zelda recognized. There were Mushroom people, races of Hyrule, a Great Fairy, Koopa monarchs, and even a statue that looked identical to Smiley. Many others were not recognizable at all. A particularly large statue was that of an anthropomorphic bird-like creature. Another statue seemed to be a lanky pterodactyl-like creature. A third statue seemed to be a giant, half-open eye. The most notable of all these unknown statues seemed to be a woman with six angelic wings, possibly another Great Fairy.

"_Wanderer_," Kamile called to the cloaked figure exaggeratedly. "I said you have guests."

The Wanderer glanced over her shoulder, her hood obscuring all but her frowning pink lips. They parted in a silent gasp. Kamile smiled and walked out of the room. Zelda carefully watched her leave and noticed a great deal of anxiety on Peach's Toadish face. The Wanderer slowly rose to her feet and approached. She removed her hood.

Her face was strikingly similar to Peach's adult appearance, but many of her features were more pronounced. Her cheeks had the same rosy hue, but gave her a longer face. In the relative dimness of the room, her blue eyes had a fluorescent glow. Her skin was milky white, while still looking healthy. Her hair, which draped into the rest of her cloak, was even more golden than Peach's. Though it retained much of the same shape as Peach's, it was much straighter and fewer ends strayed from the mane. Whereas Peach's hair took a muffin-like shape on top with shallow spot for her crown, the Wanderer's hair took a much more plain shape on top.

Her eyes were focused on Peach. "Peach?" she murmured. Her voice was deeper, implying that Peach inherited her high-pitched voice from the Toad side of her family. "Peach, is that you?"

Peach slowly nodded.

"Oh, Peachy!" she smiled, opening her arms wide. "How I've missed you!" When she stepped forward to hug Peach, the little girl stepped backward with a slight whimper. Zelda frowned.

The Wanderer briefly had a confused look on her face. She glanced in another direction nervously, cupping her hands. "I'm sorry… Perhaps I've presumed too much… I can understand if you're upset about my disappearance…"

Zelda looked to Peach and saw apprehension building within her. Forcing back her emotion as best as she could, Peach sighed and spoke somewhat coldly, "I _am_ upset about that, Mother."

The Wanderer appeared slightly hurt at the end of that one sentence. "I…"

"But that's not all," Peach said, looking up at her with a glare. "Recently, I've been hearing some very disturbing things about you…things that supposedly you did a long time ago."

"What…kind of things?" her mother asked hesitantly. She was unable to look her in the eye for more than a second at a time.

"You have guilt written all over your face," Peach said, not taking her eyes off her at all. "You know what I'm talking about, don't you?"

Her mother turned around nervously. "Everyone does things they aren't proud of at some point in their lives. Is there…anything in particular you're upset about?"

"Is it true that you used to kill people?" Peach asked bluntly. "People who didn't do anything to you beforehand? People who begged for their lives?"

"…Yes," her mother said, still with her back turned. "But…everything I did was…justified."

"Destroying whole civilizations?" Peach asked in the same tone. "Like Easton?" The Wanderer shifted her arms agitatedly. "Or killing whole armies? Like in Hyrule?"

"As I said…I had my reasons…"

"Or killing a little Toad boy?" Peach said, with a slight crack in her voice. Zelda saw her face crumple as she began to cry, no longer able to remain stoic. "After slaughtering his family in front of him! Did you really do that?" When the Wanderer gave nothing but silence, Peach screamed, "Look at me, Mother! Did you really do that?"

"Yes," the Wanderer said in a sullen voice, still unable to face her. When she heard Peach sniffling, she turned around. Her eyes were welling up with tears, while her daughter's had already overflowed. "Peachy-poo, try to understand…"

"What reason could you have for killing innocent people like that?" Peach asked.

"Peach, I…" She leaned down to touch Peach, who knocked her hand away angrily.

"Don't touch me!" Peach screamed. "I hate you! I wish I'd never met you, you…you monster!" Zelda, seeing the shocked look on her mother's face, opened her mouth to say something, but quickly shut it. She could clearly sense the darkness in Peach's heart. The four-year-old was staring down her mother, breathing hard, and looked extremely tense. Her fists were balled, but she also seemed ready to fall apart. Her mother simply looked pitiably at her. Peach ran out of the room sobbing.

"I'm sorry for the way she's acting," Zelda apologized awkwardly. "She's usually not like…"

"No, no, it's okay," the Wanderer said quietly. As tears began to roll down her cheeks, she put her hood back on and turned around. "She's perfectly right. I am a monster. I've caused so much pain and destruction. I should have never been born."

"Don't be so hard on yourself," Zelda frowned. "If you rid the land of the Dread King Morton and his evil wife, you can't be all bad."

The Wanderer's shoulders slumped and she looked down. "Please, excuse me. Feel free to make yourself at home." She walked back to her spot in the beam of light, and returned to her kneeling position. Zelda saw that the Wanderer had been kneeling to a particular statue. It was a sculpture of Peach in the same pose that had been in the stained glass window at her castle.

Zelda exited the room just as Kamile was gently closing a door in the living room.

"Excuse me," Zelda began. "Do you know where Peach…?"

"She's inside there," the Magikoopa said, pointing to the door she had just closed. "I put her to bed so she could calm down."

"Oh."

Kamile noticed Zelda's pointy ears. "You are…Hylian. Am I right?"

"Eh, yes," Zelda said, curtsying. "I am Princess Zelda of Hyrule. I've been with Peach for a few months now. I was cast to the Mushroom Kingdom by…"

"I know the story," Kamile nodded. "The Koopa Kingdom made sure every Koopa knows it."

"Um…"

"I actually live in the Dark Land," Kamile said, sitting in an armchair. "I just visit this place to keep her company."

"How do you know them? Peach and her mother, I mean."

"I met her mother sometime after she killed my sister the Witch Queen and her husband," Kamile said, reclining. "When Peach began to discover her magical powers around puberty, I helped her refine them. Unfortunately, others looked down on her friendship with 'the enemy,' as they referred to me. I voiced my complaints to other Koopas, who talked to Bowser. He got the idea to teach the mushrooms a lesson and invaded a few years later. To fix the problem, I contacted the Mario Brothers and the rest is history."

"I see," Zelda nodded after that mouthful. "I'm sorry about your sister…"

Kamile sighed and said, "Don't worry about it. I just hope Wanda doesn't get too torn up over Peach."

"Wanda?"

"The Wanderer," Kamile smiled wryly. "The things she did, no matter how terrible, all had a purpose: justice and peace. I think that fact is the only thing that's been holding her together in recent years."

"Though I agree that some force is necessary," Zelda frowned, "I've seen some of the things she did in the past. I counted on them being nothing more than illusions created by the ghosts of her victims, but…now I know that she did do those things."

"As I said, her actions were all justified," Kamile insisted.

"Begging your pardon, ma'am, but what reason could there be for killing a Toad child and his family? In the vision I saw, the village was peaceful and…"

"That vision left out quite a bit, then," Kamile said. "That was many centuries ago, when there were more mushroom races than just Toads and Goombas. The Toads were rather cruel back then. Wanda laid siege to their military depots, treasuries, and towns that were otherwise full of hate. I'd assume she killed that child because his or her heart was full of irreconcilable hate."

"Were they really that bad?" Zelda asked, with some degree of disbelief. "The Toads I've encountered seem almost harmless."

"Yes, they've become quite peaceful," Kamile nodded. "However, one would be hard-pressed to find another race of mushroom people, such as the Death Caps. The Toadstools nearly wiped them out of existence in their wars of greed and racism."

"Hmm… Then, what about Easton?"

"Before Sarasaland united, Easton was an empire that needlessly invaded its neighbors and persecuted other peoples. The Wanderer destroyed most of its cities and killed its overly ambitious emperor almost a thousand years ago."

"Even still, I'm not sure if that can justify the inevitable deaths of innocent people," Zelda frowned.

"Wanda is too humble to admit this, but she revived as many innocent casualties as possible. That room she's in right now is where she mourns those whom she either killed or was unable to save. The statues represent those whom she believes she has hurt the most. The stars on the walls represent the countless, nameless others. And of course, Peach ranks high on that list. They were best friends." Kamile reached under the chair and pulled out a photo album. She handed it to Zelda.

"Ah, photographs!" Zelda said in surprise, sitting on the sofa. "And in color, too!" She marveled at how cute Peach looked as an infant in her mother's arms. Her mother's face was lit up with joy. Another picture, a painting actually, was that of Peach sleeping in her mother's arms. A third picture showed her family in a group picture. In all the photographs, Peach was the center of attention. Some pictures even showed Peach at later times. Zelda smiled when she could clearly see when Peach was beginning to grow a nose. In some of her teenage pictures, Peach had apparently dyed her hair red.

"I made copies of many pictures for her," Kamile said, getting up. "I even gathered posters and paintings for her from her mother-in-law. She really is Peach's biggest fan." She reached into a compartment in the chair and pulled out a remote. Clicking a few buttons, an empty section on the wall flipped around and revealed a plasma screen television. It was a home video of a toddler Peach taking a bath.

"Hi, there," Wanda's voice cooed off screen.

"Hi, Mommy!" Peach waved with a wide smile.

"Who's my little angel?"

"I am!" Peach splashed.

"Who loves you more than anything?"

"Mommy does!" Peach laughed.

"That's right!" Wanda cheered.

"I love you, Mommy!" Peach laughed.

"That's sweet," Zelda smiled.

"Hm." Zelda and Kamile turned to see hoodless Wanda standing outside her mourning room, watching the video from a distance. She had a nostalgic smile on, though she seemed saddened at the same time.

Kamile handed the remote to Zelda and walked toward the exit. "Wanda, Peach is in the guest room. I'll be back in a few hours. You're going to need groceries to feed these girls."

Wanda gingerly approached Zelda. "May I sit next to you?"

"Of course," Zelda replied. "It's your home."

"Thank you," she said, sitting. "Are you Peach's friend?"

"Yes. My name is Zelda. Princess Zelda of Hyrule."

"Princess?" Wanda studied her face carefully. "Is your mother, by any chance, a Sheikah woman named Ingrid?"

"Yes," Zelda smiled.

"You have her face," Wanda smiled. "How have your parents been for the past twenty years or so?"

"Uh…actually, Mother was only recently revived."

"Revived?"

"She died shortly after giving birth," Zelda explained hesitantly.

"Oh…" Wanda said, at a loss for words. "Well, I'm sure your father is happy to see her again."

"He was killed a few months ago," Zelda frowned.

"Is Impa all right?"

"She was also killed," Zelda said.

Wanda frowned and took a deep sigh. "Would you…happen to know of a woman who works on a farm? Her name was Malon, and she was pregnant the last time I saw her."

"She was also recently revived," Zelda grimaced slightly.

"Childbirth?"

"No, that went fine as I've heard," Zelda smiled. "She died of…illness."

"Do you know of Queen Zora?"

"She was revived as well," Zelda said, growing increasingly uncomfortable. "She died of the same illness."

"What illness was this?" Wanda asked, now upset. "Influenza, pneumonia, consumption?"

"You know that my mother was the Sage of Death, don't you?" Zelda asked.

"Yes, quite well," she half-smiled.

"Apparently, when she was dying, Malon attempted to save her with her own powers. Instead of helping, it just made things worse. Malon grew ill and withered over a number of years, though her daughter, my friend Malon, was born completely healthy. Rita visited Mother, but was somehow infected and suffered the same fate."

"Kamile has been telling me that there's been a lot of trouble going on in both worlds. Could you tell me everything that happened?"

"Sure," Zelda said.

* * *

After retelling what had happened in both the Mushroom World and Hyrule, Wanda had returned to her mourning room. It was obvious that this was what she did for the majority of her time every day. With nothing better to do, Zelda began exploring the dwelling. The room opposing the mourning room was a weapons gallery. 

Wanda had told her that she used many different weapons to do her work. She had crafted most of them herself, though a few had been specially made by friends. Although Zelda had thought this room would be a place of terrifying weapons used to bring fear and pain to those who encountered them, there was rather an atmosphere of solemn awe. All of the weapons were named and works of art in themselves. They ranged from golden hilted daggers to silver bows and arrows. Some were as simple as a bamboo staff. Others were as technical and futuristic as multi-barreled firearms. It seemed as if she had used every type of weapon that had ever been made at some point or another. What struck her as odd was that even the more exotic weapons such as the triple-bladed katars or the large elbow blades were not terrifying, but rather beautiful. Even the half-a-foot thick, six-foot long sword was a thing of beauty rather than a brutish weapon because of the gold runes etched into the blue and silver blade.

Finally, she came across the weapon she had seen in the visions. It had moderate length, was somewhat thin, and gave off an eerie golden glow. It almost seemed to drip light as the reflections moved along the blade like liquid. According to the plaque below it, which happened to have the name written in multiple languages, it was called Evil's Fall. The miniature description read "primary close-combat weapon."

Zelda was drawn to touch the mysterious blade. As soon as her finger made contact, though, she felt an uncomfortably intense tingling feeling course through her body and she instantly pulled her hand away. Where her finger had touched, a black fingerprint slowly faded away. Suddenly unnerved, Zelda backed out of the room.

She checked the room opposite the one Peach was in and saw that it was Wanda's bedroom. It had a large, but relatively plain bed. The decorations were nothing more than a few pictures hung up around the room. Most of the pictures were of Peach, but one appeared to be a children's drawing. It was a stick figure that seemed to be Wanda and a heart. The strangest thing was that the paper seemed incredibly old.

"Um, Zelda?" Wanda said at the doorway.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Zelda jumped. "I didn't mean to invade your privacy. I was just…"

"It's no problem at all," Wanda smiled. "I just wanted to ask if you were hungry. I have _some_ food if you want any."

"I don't mean to take away from your supply," Zelda said humbly.

"Don't mind me," Wanda smiled. "I don't actually need to eat. I haven't tried for at least five years."

"Oh…" Zelda said, not really knowing how to respond. "May I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"Is Wanda really your name?" Zelda asked suspiciously. "Or just a pseudonym given to you by Kamile?"

"Oh," Wanda almost giggled. "Actually, it was given to me by my husband, Peach's father. You see, when we first met, I introduced myself as the Wanderer. He misinterpreted my introduction as first name Wanda, last name Rer."

"And you just accepted it?"

"Yes. It wouldn't be the first time. I've actually been called by many names. Wanderer, Drifter, Kali, Ann, Mary, Grudda, Natalia, Luca, the list goes on. Whatever suits you."

"How about QueenToadstool?"

"That works, too," Wanda smiled. "Come on; let's go to the kitchen."

* * *

Being ten years old reminded Zelda that she would get sleepier earlier. She had gone into Peach's room and slipped into bed quietly alongside her. She fell asleep quickly. Sometime later, the door cracked open. Wanda peeked inside. Hearing nothing more than gentle snoring, she quietly walked inside with a sandwich on a plate. She set the plate down at Peach's bedside. She gazed down onto her daughter longingly. She stretched out her hand to touch her cheek. 

Peach's eyes snapped open. Without moving her position, her eyes glared coldly at her mother. Wanda pulled back her hand before she could even make contact. She gave a pleading look and a nervous smile. Peach's icy stare remained the same, with an increasingly visible frown in the darkness. Now frowning with guilt, Wanda slowly backed away. Peach's eyes followed her. Wanda could take no more and turned around to quickly leave.

Peach shifted and looked to the ceiling, her eyes softening instantly. She glanced over at Zelda, who was fast asleep. Peach remained awake for hours. At some point, she quietly slipped out of bed and out the room. She noticed that the door to the weapons gallery was conspicuously wide open. She went to see what was inside. She was shocked when she saw so many weapons. The one that caught her attention most was the golden sword her mother had used in her visions. Instead of being up on the wall in its original position, it was lying on a blue pillow on the floor. Peach picked up the surprisingly light sword. She could feel its power resonating with her. Utilizing its power, she grew back into her adult form. At her whim, the sword dimmed completely. She exited the weapons gallery, closing the door behind her.

She carefully opened the door to her mother's bedroom. It was dark inside, but she could clearly see her mother lying under the covers in her sleeveless nightgown. Her hair was splayed all over the pillows and her arms were spread out across the bed. Peach slowly approached, raising Evil's Fall. She finally came to her mother's bedside. She raised the sword over her mother. The neck? The chest? The stomach? Her eyes swept back and forth. She knew that once she started, there would be no turning back. She even knew that her mother would not stop her. She hesitated. Despite all the hate she was attempting build up, she found herself unable to kill her own mother so cruelly. She could already feel herself getting teary eyed and she hated herself for that. She wanted to end the Wanderer's life so badly, and yet she could not. On one hand, she was disgusted with herself for backing out. On the other hand, she was disgusted for even considering killing her mother. Reverting back to her child form, she slowly left the room to put the sword back.

As the door shut, Wanda opened one eye slightly. She did not know whether to be happy or sad for Peach's decision.

_Note: Just a warning for you guys. The next chapter is unusually long, nearly three times the size of this chapter._


	26. Mommy

**Mommy**

When Zelda awakened, she discovered that Kamile had dropped off some food in the refrigerator and then left. She was beginning to see why. Wanda was mourning most of the time. Zelda could not do much besides relax, which was hard, considering why they had come there in the first place.

"Just ask her already," Peach grumbled as they sat on the sofa, watching television.

"I'm not sure if we should," Zelda said with a troubled look on her face.

"Ask what?" Wanda asked, stepping out of her mourning room.

"Nothing," Zelda said reflexively.

"Zelda," Peach groaned.

"Go ahead," Wanda said humbly, walking closer to them. "Do you need something?"

"Why do you think we're here?" Peach said.

Wanda grimaced slightly and turned her eyes away from Peach. "I didn't really think about it…" she mumbled. "I was just happy to see you…"

"Hmph! Go ahead, Zelda."

"Okay," Zelda relented. "Remember what I told you was going on outside this little pocket of space?"

"Yes," Wanda nodded. "You're very brave girls."

"Thank you," Zelda smiled nervously. "You see, we came in search of you because we were hoping that…you'd be able to help us fix everything. The Wanderer was said to bring peace before. Perhaps you could do so again?"

Wanda had an uncomfortable look on her face. "I'm sorry… I can't."

"Why not?" Peach demanded, staring her down.

"I…just can't," Wanda said, standing her ground.

"Can't or won't?" Peach asked suspiciously.

"It's complicated, Peachy," Wanda winced.

"Is there a barrier preventing you from leaving?" Zelda asked.

"…No," Wanda answered.

"You're afraid," Peach said, reading her.

"Peach, it's a risk I don't want to…"

"Don't even start talking to me about risks!" Peach yelled. "Do you know how much we've suffered? Do you know how many times we've been bruised, battered, and broken?"

"Peachy, please…"

"I've been impaled at least four times now!" Peach continued, her face getting red. "Both of us have died at least once! Thousands of people have died! Others have been warped by Bowser and Ganon, like the Yoshies or the Sages of Hyrule. Our loved ones, the people who usually trounce Bowser and Ganondorf, have been missing for months, maybe even dead."

"Peach…" Zelda placed a hand on her shoulder only to have it shoved away.

"Bowser forced me to marry him or watch Zelda get tortured! He destroyed Toad Town and wrecked the castle! He stole the Star Rod _and_ the Star Spirits. Ganondorf warped the Sages and set Hyrule at war again. And while were trying to stop it, Zelda ended up having to kill friend after heartbroken friend! Worst of all, she was tricked into loving a fake version of Link, who raped her and almost did the same to me! So don't you _dare_ talk about risks in front of me, you…you…cur!"

Zelda's eyes were wide in shock. She had never figured Peach to be able to use such abusive language. Wanda's face was trembling a bit, though she managed to hold herself together.

As Wanda opened her mouth to say something, Peach added, "And don't tell me it's because you don't want to kill anymore. If you've been doing it for so long, you shouldn't have much of a problem with it. In fact, according to Hanayaka, you wouldn't stop when she asked you to!"

Wanda closed her mouth for a moment before saying, "That's not the only reason."

"Then, what else is it?" Peach asked. "Why else would you stay out here and never come home?"

"My leaving here is forbidden," Wanda said quietly. "This is my prison for the things I've done."

"And yet there's nothing to keep you from just leaving," Peach sneered. "It sounds to me like you're just running away. You're afraid to face the world after you've abused it so much. So you disguise it as some kind of self-imposed atonement. If you really wanted to make up for all the harm you've done, you'd be out there helping people. But the way you are, you might as well just hang yourself!"

"Peach!" Zelda scolded her.

Wanda sank to her knees, as she could no longer hold back her tears. She burst into sobbing and held her palms over her face. "I'm so sorry!"

"Peach, you've gone too far!" Zelda yelled at her. "This poor woman has been through enough already. There is no need to abuse her this way."

"Excuse my rudeness, Zelda," Peach said, frowning, "but I thought you were going to butt out of this?"

"I was, but this is a completely different side of you," Zelda said. "You're giving in to your dark side. That little imp has been talking through you the whole time."

"She's the one that created most of that side," Peach said, glancing at her pitiful mother.

"We didn't come here to make her miserable!"

"If she's not going to help us anyway, what does it matter?"

"Listen to yourself! The Peach I know would never say anything like that!"

"Well, maybe you don't know me! Maybe…forget it. We're wasting our time here, just like I thought. Wanderer, or whatever you call yourself, turn us back to our real forms so we can leave and try to save the world without you."

While crying, Wanda managed to wave one hand. Yellow sparkles swirled about them and they reverted to their true forms. As she caught sight of Peach, she slowed her crying to gaze at her resemblance. "Please, don't go Peachy. Not yet. You've grown so much and…" Peach delivered the hardest slap she could muster to her mother's face. Wanda was sent spinning through the air and hit the wall hard, knocking down a framed picture of Peach. Wanda lay on her side, still crying, as she grasped the picture and held it close.

Zelda glared at Peach with disdain as the Mushroom Princess walked out. She gave a pitying glance to Wanda before following Peach.

She ducked out of the way as Peach screamed and was thrown back into the room. Dark Zelda lurched through the doorway, still with an evil grin on. Various parts of her form were unusually whitened out. A section of her face was whitened out, including one of her eyes that was red instead of orange.

"Allo' again," she chuckled. "Thought you saw the last of me, eh?"

"How did you…?" Zelda stammered.

"Ol' Drow dropped me off at the slime pool. It's a bloomin' wonder I got out. Migh' as well finish up what I came ere' for."

"What are you talking about?" Zelda said, helping Peach up.

"This," she replied. She summoned the Gilded Sword and it flew straight through Peach's chest, pinning her against the wall on the far side of the room, with blood running down the wall behind her. "Why hang pictures when you can have the real thing?"

"Peach!" Wanda cried.

Zelda groaned and began to charge her Shining Ray. "You evil…"

"Just rememba, all this is inside that black lil' heart of yours," Dark Zelda reminded her, clenching a fist. Zelda's gasped and reached for her heart as it was squeezed within her chest. After a few short, pained breaths, blood began to run from her mouth and she collapsed.

"Why would you do this to yourself?" Wanda asked. "She's you."

"Just felt like it, I 'spose," Dark Zelda shrugged.

"I should have done this a long time ago," Smiley chuckled, rising out of the floor. He surveyed the two dying bodies enthusiastically, while Wanda stared at him. "Who would've thought, huh? Ah, Mitsuko… Oh, I'm sorry. You're Mrs. Wanda Toadstool now, aren't you? Never the same name for long, eh? Surprised to see me?"

Wanda had completely ceased crying and had her narrowed eyes focused on him. "In retrospect, no. I knew you'd come back sooner or later."

"Ah, then you're aware of it," Smiley said cryptically, as Dark Zelda sat in midair next to him.

"Aware of what?" the Wanderer asked.

"Our connection," Smiley giggled, motioning a robed-covered arm toward himself. "We've both been around the block a few times. We've both caused and solved a few 'situations.' You know…"

"My solutions sought peace," the Wanderer said sternly. "You sought the joy of bloodshed."

"And yet I'm the one who's free to run about as I please," Smiley retorted. "I never broke any oaths. I happened to _avoid_ three strikes in a row. Meanwhile, look at you. Wasting your time forcing sorrow on yourself for your 'peace-seeking' actions."

"One point for dark side," Dark Zelda mused.

"At least I'm _somewhat_ loyal," Smiley continued. "In fact, I believe it was that first strike, the one against your creator, that got you into this mess in the first place. And yet after all I've done to make your existence extra miserable over the centuries, I was revived by the Star Rod, of all things. That's a bit of irony, isn't it?"

"What are you getting at?" the Wanderer asked agitatedly.

"I killed you Mrs. Toadstool," he said as if were obvious. "I watched you die…with quite a bit of satisfaction I might add. Despite that, something happened, something I knew, or at least thought, was impossible…" His mask began to slowly rotate. "You destroyed _me_, Mrs. Toadstool. You destroyed my body and sealed my soul inside an insignificant Phanto mask. I suppose I have you to thank for Bowser's behavior. Killing his parents off, betraying your own, breaking your Oath to Order…they all contributed quite a bit to the current events that we've all been involved in."

"Congratulations," Dark Zelda chuckled, jokingly saluting.

"Thank you," Smiley nodded as his mask returned to its original position and he faced the Wanderer once again. "But as you probably suspect, I didn't come down here just to thank you for all of the wonderful chaos you've allowed me to carry out."

"You won't win," the Wanderer said.

"Maybe, but I'm afraid I have bigger plans than just exterminating you," he said as portals began to open all over the room. "As I said, I'm at least semi-loyal."

"Do your loyalties lie with Bowser?"

"No. Rather the founder of the 8-bits, my old master," he said as Garo Robes and ghostly Zeus Guys began to walk out of the portals. "Should you happen to win this little fight, I suppose I should ask you to inform the girls to meet me at Rainbow Road. The clones and I, despite our differences, have something that they _might_ be interested in."

"Can I join in this little tea party?" Dark Zelda asked, now on her feet again.

"Of course," Smiley said, sinking into the floor. "You never did get a chance to rip out Peach or Morel's mammaries. I'm sure you'll do old mum proud by doing it to her greatest rival. Toodle-loo, Toadstool." He disappeared in a flare of black flames.

"Heh," Dark Zelda smiled at the Wanderer, who was now surrounded by at least two-dozen Garo Robes and Zeus Guys. Their swords slid out of their robes in one simultaneous "shink." The Zeus Guys began to cup their hands together at their sides, slowly building energy as electricity crackled all around them.

"This isn't a fair fight," the Wanderer said, watching them all carefully. "You'll need more help than that."

"Don't kid yourself," King Boo said, appearing in the room with dozens of other ghostly monsters. "We wouldn't miss a chance like this. You're the one who's going to need help."

The Wanderer sighed with regret and whispered, "Just like Morton and Maggie… Just remember that you all brought this on yourselves. There's a reason why Smiley didn't stick around." She pulled off her cloak and there was a collective gasp from all of the creatures around her as she gave off a bright light.

* * *

Peach and Zelda awakened with a start. They sat up off the floor of the living room. Wanda, in her cloak again, was standing in front of them with her hands clasped together. She had a sheathed sword hanging by a string attached to her cloak. Its handle was golden and shiny. The decorations all around the room had been knocked over or off the walls. The room was otherwise spotless, except for a very conspicuous black mark on the floor. It looked as if a small bomb had gone off in that spot.

"What happened?" Zelda asked, looking around. "Where's my dark self?"

"Wasn't the room full of people?" Peach asked in confusion. "I fainted…"

"Everything's all right, girls," Wanda said serenely, helping them up with a smile. "I destroyed them."

"Did we…die?" Zelda asked squeamishly.

"Just you," Wanda said, looking to the floor. "But you're fine now."

"Smiley," Peach murmured. "He said something about…"

"Rainbow Road," Wanda nodded. "Don't worry about it."

"What do you mean 'don't worry about it?'" Peach asked, immediately getting agitated. "You ar…You don't even care, do you?"

"Peach, don't start," Zelda sighed. "I've had just about enough of this."

"Mind your own business!"

"Shhhh!" Wanda said, putting her fingers to their lips. "That's enough arguing out of you two. Friends shouldn't talk that way to one another."

"Daughters should have more respect for their mothers," Zelda pouted.

"Mothers shouldn't be genocidal witches who won't help their daughters," Peach huffed.

"That's right; they shouldn't," Wanda nodded. "That's why I want you and Zelda to stay here."

"What?" they both responded.

"There's no reason for you to risk your lives," she said walking toward the exit. They followed her.

"You're just going to leave?" Peach asked suspiciously.

"I'll be sure to leave a barrier in place," Wanda said, walking into the entrance room. "You won't be seeing Smiley here again."

"There's something not right about this," Zelda said, standing in front of her. "Won't something bad happen if you leave this place?"

"I think I heard Smiley say something about three strikes…" Peach mumbled.

"It's nothing you have to worry about," Wanda said, gently moving Zelda aside and climbing up the hatch.

"Let her go," Peach sneered, as Wanda unlocked the hatch and exited. "She deserves whatever she has coming to her. After everything she's done, she…" Zelda gave her a swift slap across the face.

"Listen to yourself," Zelda said with disgust. "Don't you think there was a good reason she never left this place before?"

"Zelda…" Peach said, sounding hurt as she touched her stinging face.

"You said she's had three strikes against her, right? That means that this place, this…limbo is her punishment for whatever she did, and I doubt it was for killing thousands. I don't know any specifics, but I have a feeling she broke the Oath to Order. Remember what Geno said about breaking the Oath?"

"They go to Hell or something," Peach said bitterly.

"Does _this_ look like Hell to you?" Zelda asked, showing her the living room. "She can even have friends visit if they can find her. It might be a prison, but it's an unusually nice one. Her breaches of the Oath must have been at least somewhat innocent, meaning she _chose_ this prison."

"What's your point?"

"If she blatantly disregards the Oath, she _will_ go to Hell," Zelda said, grabbing Peach's shoulders. "By leaving this place, even for noble reasons, she's breaking the contract she agreed to! She might not even be able to help us in time! Do you really want that? Do you _want_ your mother to suffer for an eternity? Hasn't she suffered enough out of her own guilt, not just for killing so many, but for leaving you as well? She's risking her soul for you, Peach. If you let her do this, I can guarantee you that you'll never see her again, in this world or the next. I know you have a grudge against her for leaving you as a child…but judging from the way the story was told, do you really think she wanted to leave you? She has pictures of you everywhere, for Din's sake!"

Peach stared blankly at her, the wheels spinning in her head. She remembered the way her mother had always brought her to council meetings at the castle. She remembered the way her mother had always tucked her into bed at night. She remembered how protective her mother was when Peach had gotten sick.

"Come to think of it," Zelda said in thought, "the war in Hyrule ended around the time I was born. You were still a little girl back then…"

"She left to end the war in Hyrule," Peach said in realization. She clambered up the ladder and out of the hatch. She ran down the long tunnel and out into the white landscape. Her mother was approaching the edge of the island, near the black river. "Mommy!" Peach called out, sprinting at full speed.

The Wanderer stopped and turned around. "Peach?"

"Mommy, don't go!" Peach cried, diving into her arms.

"Peach, please," Wanda said painfully, holding her close. "I have to go now. Mommy will take care of everything."

"If you go, I'll never see you again!" Peach bawled. "I don't hate you. I just missed you. I was sad and I didn't understand, but I'm sorry! I'm sorry I hurt you! Please, don't go! Please, don't! I don't want to lose you agaaain!"

"Shhh, it's okay, it's okay," Wanda said, embracing her. Peach looked up with teary eyes to find her mother smiling with teary eyes. "I'll stay."

* * *

They had returned to the Wanderer's abode. Zelda could tell from the looks on their faces that they had reconciled. Peach clung to her mother lovingly, and Wanda looked genuinely happy. Zelda was relieved.

"This is much better," Zelda sighed.

"Zelda," Peach asked, "do you mind if we stay one more night?"

"That's fine by me," Zelda nodded. "It gives me a chance to ask a little about your mother's past."

"What would you like to know?" Wanda asked with a nervous half-smile.

"Oh, nothing like that," Zelda assured her, leading her to the couch and sitting. "I'm rather interested to know how someone like you married someone like her father."

"Oh," Wanda giggled girlishly. "Well, he had been sent by his father, then-King Toadstool, to make himself useful and find the Wanderer to help them fend off the Koopa Kingdom. Spore, Peach's father, had been told that the Wanderer was last sighted in Easton, so that's where he meant to go. But, Spore being Spore, he managed to go all the way around the world without even going into Sarasaland."

"That sounds like Daddy," Peach giggled.

"Eventually, he found me as I was about to go to the Mushroom Kingdom, but he didn't know, or rather think that I was actually the Wanderer since I was a woman. As far as he was concerned, I was just a 'fair maiden in need of an escort to the Mushroom Kindgom.' By the time we got back, his father had passed and his mother was ruling in his place. We fought side-by-side, but my-oh-my was he ever protective. I found out a short while later from his mother that he had fallen for me, but he was too manly to admit it out loud."

She reached under the couch and pulled out the photo album. She turned to a picture of Peach's father leaning on his short sword in a confident pose, despite not wearing a mushroom cap at all. He was completely bald.

"What happened?" Peach asked. "Did he lose his hat?"

"He insisted that I wear it," Wanda smiled. "He said it was to protect my beautiful skin from the cruel sun. Of course when he said that, he hurt the sun's feelings and there was nothing but dark clouds for a month."

"The sun has feelings?" Zelda asked, with a raised eyebrow. "Please tell me you're joking."

"Why would she be?" Peach asked cluelessly. "He's really emotional."

"Your father?"

"No, the sun," Peach said. "He attacked Mario a few times, but when he was really depressed, he refused to come out."

"Eh, Zelda," Wanda smiled patiently. "In her world, many things are…personified. I'm sure you noticed that the clouds and bushes…"

"Have eyes and faces," Zelda finished. "Right, my mistake. Please, continue."

"Despite his chauvinism," Wanda said, turning the page, "I was charmed by his devotion…and simplemindedness." There was a picture of them being married. There were many attendees in the church. Spore was in a heavily adorned uniform and red cap with white dots. Wanda was in a small wedding dress with her hair cropped, with the extra long strands looped into a knotted bun on top.

"You were beautiful," Zelda said in awe.

"And a little while later," Wanda smiled. She turned to a picture that showed her sitting under a peach tree holding a pink-bundled baby in her arms.

"Was that in a peach garden?" Zelda asked as Peach glanced at her with a smirk.

"A peach garden on a peach farm, actually," Wanda said. "Why?"

"Peach was explaining…reproduction," Zelda said uneasily. "I was hesitant to believe that there were actual baby gardens. She told me she was conceived and born that way."

"Told you," Peach giggled.

"Well, she was _born_ in a peach garden," Wanda said, raising an eyebrow. "That's because Spore didn't believe me when I said it was time…at least not until my water broke and we were far away from the main…"

"Wait," Zelda said suspiciously. "Your water broke?" She turned to Peach, who looked just as confused.

"Of course," Wanda said. "My womb began to contract until the amniotic fluid spilled out. You really don't know how it works?"

"_Peach_?" Zelda said, eyeing her.

"You said I was grown in a garden," Peach said.

"Oh, no I said born," Wanda smiled. "You were grown in my belly."

"So…the Stork put me there?"

"The Storks have had me blacklisted for a _long_ time," Wanda shook her head nostalgically.

"So…how did you get pregnant?"

"You're an adult. Think about it."

"Eww!"

"But how?" Zelda asked in confusion. "He's a…mushroom…and you're a…human? He's so small…you know…and you're…do they have…did you…?"

"Heh," Wanda smiled again. "Have you ever heard the old saying that a girl can get pregnant just by kissing?"

"Yes…"

"That's how Toads do it, besides all the gardens and Storks and such."

"So, he kissed you?" Zelda asked, while Peach's eyes were darting back and forth between them nervously.

"On the lips," was the last thing Peach heard as Wanda covered her ears. Peach watched as Zelda made another short inquiry. Her mother blushed and answered with what appeared to be a small giggle. After a few seconds of back and forth chatter, she released Peach, who felt as if she had missed a really good joke.

"Um, okay…" Peach said nervously. "So…why did the Storks blacklist you?"

"Hmm," Wanda groaned slightly. "Let's just say that your _other_ grandmother didn't approve of me having a child, so she made one particular Stork's task…difficult."

"Oh… Where is she now?"

"…Gone," Wanda said distractedly. "Hopefully, you'll never have to put up with her, but how is Daisy?"

"Fine, last we saw her," Peach said. "She's been really helpful. Now I know why she was only kidnapped once."

"It's good to hear that you're looking out for one another," Wanda said. "I just wish her website was a tad less lewd about…"

"Website? You know about that?"

"I have a computer in my room," Wanda pointed out.

"How is it," Zelda began, "that you have so many…things?"

"When I first came here, all I had were my sword and a little clothing. Apparently, Kamile had followed me. She wanted to make sure I was as comfortable as possible, so she began to bring some comforts of home. Some of it, like the refrigerator, is actually to make _herself_ comfortable here. She visits so often, she virtually lives here. It's not too different from the way Daisy is at Peach's castle."

"I'm not sure why Daisy does that," Peach frowned slightly. "Her kingdom seems better than mine, from what I've seen."

"It's a natural attraction," Wanda said. "Neither of you know this, but you're her many-times great aunt."

"Really?"

"I thought they were cousins…" Zelda mumbled.

"Remember when I told you about the Stork and I?" Wanda asked. "That particular stork was delivering your sister, Hanayaka. Zelda told me you found this place from her clues."

"That makes sense…" Peach nodded. "Um, she mentioned an…illegitimate daughter, who seeks the Wanderer…"

"She was talking about herself," Wanda frowned. "You see she never had a father, not even a biological one. But she didn't know that. I wasn't able to even introduce myself to her until she was about Zelda's age. We got along well until she became frustrated with…what I did…and eventually," Wanda sighed, "she told me to leave. So, I left."

"Hmm," Peach frowned.

"All right, my turn," Zelda said with a grin. "Tell me about your experiences in Hyrule and with my mother."

"Very complicated," Wanda said, turning to another page. There was a picture of a much younger Mother Malon. She was nearly identical to her daughter, though she had a short ponytail held by a blue band at the end of her long mane of red hair. "I had been to Hyrule several times before. It had been at war for a long time. Everyone was basically after the land and the Triforce. After a few key actions, I left to give the country time to heal. When I returned, I found that very few people actually knew what the war was about. It seemed to be general xenophobia. I managed to make plenty of friends there. Malon was one of them. She was the only person I knew that went out of Hylian territory to help the sick of other races, as well as potential customers."

"Who's that?" Peach asked, pointing to a man in another picture. It had several people in it, though the focus seemed to be on three. Two were obviously Wanda and Ingrid. Wanda wore a blue robe with star and moon patterns all over it. Ingrid was in a rather frilly pink frock with a plummeting neckline. She was obviously wearing a corset since she seemed to have at least a little bust. Her hair was also heavily styled, but remained relatively loose. She was glaring over her shoulder at Wanda, whose friendly eyes were on the third person of interest. It was a blond man in red robes with a cape that had the same design as the Hylian shield. This was whom Peach was pointing to.

"That's my father," Zelda said with some surprise.

"Yes, it is," Wanda said. "The most competent king I ever did meet. He was brave on the battlefield, an excellent strategist, and yet very diplomatic to the opposing forces. He was one of my greatest allies during the later years."

"Mother doesn't look too happy."

"They didn't know I was the Wanderer, but she suspected as much. She was definitely the biggest nuisance to my job there. She was outright hostile to me when she discovered her powers as the Sage of Death. It didn't help that she thought I was having an affair with the King, who admittedly was a lady's man. So many mistresses and not a single concubine… I wouldn't be surprised if you had a few extra siblings out there somewhere, Zelda."

"Concubine?" Peach asked.

"Never mind, Peach," Zelda said, noting the picture of Saria and other Kokiri in the Sacred Forest Meadow. "Did you ever run into Ganondorf?"

"Once," Wanda said. She turned to a page that showed a Gerudo warrior showing off her swords. "At the time, he was just snooping about temples and ruins looking for clues about the Golden Land. I just happened to meet him while a friend was showing me around the Spirit Temple. He barely noticed me."

"Didn't you sense his evil?"

"I was more concerned with his mothers," Wanda said. "But none of them were doing anything wrong, so I had no reason to do anything about them. They weren't the ones sending out raids."

"I see," Zelda frowned.

"Had I still been able, I suppose I would have helped you seven years ago."

"Don't worry about it," Zelda sighed. "It's that selfless attitude that got you here in the first place, isn't it?"

"That was the last straw, anyway," Wanda clarified. "Am I that predictable?"

"Your daughter is just like you," Zelda smiled. "Were you kidnapped often?"

"No, that's really more of a princess thing," Wanda smiled. "I'm well aware of Bowser's habit of kidnapping her."

"It's not my fault," Peach blushed.

"That's what happens when your father gets a few years in power," Wanda sighed lightheartedly. "Any who, would either of you be interested in a few rounds of video gaming?"

"You have games?"

"Only ones with you in it," Wanda smiled.

* * *

After an hour of gaming and a filling meal, they readied for bed, even though they had no idea what time it was. It was clear that Wanda did not even really need rest, since she never looked sleepy or tired. Neither Zelda nor Peach really questioned it, nor did they question how the plumbing in the dwelling worked.

After a few minutes of silently lying in bed together, Zelda spoke up. "Peach, something's bothering you, isn't it?"

"How did you know?"

"You're thinking awfully loud," Zelda smirked wryly. "I'm psychic, remember?"

"Sorry," Peach smiled. "I've just been having a lot on my mind lately…"

"…I see. Perhaps…you should have a little private time with your _mommy_."

"Don't act like you've never used a sentimental name like that," Peach blushed.

"True. I used to call my father Daddy."

"Hmm."

"Well, go talk to her!" Zelda insisted. "Neither of us is going to get any sleep if you're this thoughtful all night."

"Okay, okay, I'm going!" She quietly walked out of the room and to her mother's room. After knocking, she slowly opened the door and peeked inside. The bed was untouched. Her mother wasn't inside.

Peach peered to the mourning room. She approached and slowly opened the door to look inside. Her mother was kneeling at the far end of the room again, with her hood on. Peach quietly approached, but did not know what to say.

"Mommy?" Peach said meekly.

"Hm?" Wanda flinched, turning toward her.

"I don't mean to interrupt, but I…I…" Peach hesitated as she stared at her mother's eyeless countenance. "Why do you where that hood?"

Wanda removed the hood. Tears were streaming out of her eyes, though she didn't make a sound. Her eyes shimmered in the light over her. "It's an old habit," she said, returning her gaze forward and toward the floor.

"Why?"

"My job was partly to terrorize people out of their evil ways," Wanda said placidly. "It's hard to scare people if you're crying on the job. I never wanted to hurt anyone. It was my duty to do so."

"Couldn't you have just…not?" Peach asked gently.

"I tried…twice," Wanda said, wiping her tears away. "But I was compelled to do it. That's why I left you. I was compelled to end the war in Hyrule. But…by the Oath, I'm not allowed to have things both ways. I was to either lead a normal life…or be the Wanderer. If I had chosen a single way…"

"Would you like me to pray with you?" Peach asked with a friendly smile.

"…I would like that," Wanda returned the smile. Peach sank to her knees and cupped her hands, with her head looking up toward the light. After a few moments, Wanda glanced at her with pride.

"That will do for you," Wanda said, standing up. "I can't have you taking up all of my sorrow, little angel."

"Could you tell me what some of these statues are?" Peach asked with a smile.

"…Okay," Wanda said hesitantly. "Which ones?"

"That birdish one," Peach pointed.

"Chozo," Wanda said, bowing her head for a moment. "It's a species that isn't in the same dimension as Hyrule or the Mushroom World. They were among my greatest successes, bless their souls."

"And the dragon one?"

"From the same dimension," Wanda frowned, bowing her head sadly. "I…failed them, bless their souls. All that remains of them is a space pirate named Ridley, last I checked anyway."

"Oh… What about the eye thing?"

"That was a work in progress," Wanda frowned again, though it was more of annoyance than sadness. "It's an entity known as Dark Matter."

"Dark Matter!" Peach exclaimed. "Isn't that the stuff in the water outside?"

"Yes," Wanda sighed slightly. "It's very difficult to destroy completely. In higher concentrations, it becomes self-aware and can manifest forms like that eye. It's not a threat in Hyrule or the Mushroom World, but…were I not here or with you, I would be in another dimension getting it under control. That world should be able to make due, though."

"What about that bug?" It was a vaguely insectoid creature that also seemed mechanical. It mostly resembled a mantis with bulbs on its body.

"An Aparoid," Wanda said with the same expression. "They infect, evolve, and integrate. Another dimension."

"Am I annoying you?" Peach asked, glancing at the angel statue.

"Of course not," Wanda smiled. "I just don't have fond memories of all the races and species here." She led Peach back to her room.

"Zelda tells me you're in love with a certain Sheikah," Wanda smirked, sitting on the bed.

Peach's face lit up like a tomato and she giggled girlishly. "Yes."

"I was surprised, to tell you the truth," Wanda continued. "I had always thought you were going to be with Mario." Peach's face softened to a pink glow, though she held a quiet smile. "I see. Any leanings?"

"I don't know," Peach shrugged. "They're both great guys… I've known Mario so long…sometimes it seems as if we're already a couple. But Sheik told me out loud…and he's the only one that I've been kissed by that way."

Wanda raised an eyebrow. "What way?"

"On the lips…" Peach giggled, struggling to stifle it. "With tongue…"

"My little girl's grown up," Wanda chuckled, giving her a hug. Then, she asked, "You mean your mouth right?"

"Of course," Peach said obliviously. "I said on the lips."

"Hm."

"Wait a min… Does that mean we had Toad sex?"

Wanda coughed and laughed. "Well…he's not a Toad…and you're only half Toad. You can't exactly catch what he doesn't pitch."

"Huh?" Peach tilted her head.

"Never mind," Wanda shook her head jovially, holding her close.

"Mommy?"

"Yes, Peachy?"

"What am I? Besides half Toad, I mean. And what are you?" Wanda returned Peach's innocent gaze with a smile.

"That's easy. You are a Princess. I am a Power. You take care of a kingdom and all the people in it. I enforce…or used to enforce holy laws."

"So…are you a star cop like Geno?" Peach asked.

"The guardian of Star Road?" Wanda asked. "Hmm. That's…close. If you think of him as a police officer, I'm more like a…soldier."

"So, we're stars?" Peach asked in slight confusion.

"Yes and no," Wanda smirked.

"What do you mean?"

"We're both well-known, almost celebrities, but we don't hang around in the night sky much do we?

"You're being dodgy," Peach complained, laying her head against her.

"There's some fun in the mystery," Wanda replied. "I always thought you would just assume yourself to be a human."

"With magic?"

"Well, look at Zelda," Wanda said, cradling her slightly. "She has a lot of powers. And contrary to what everyone in the Mushroom World apparently thinks, Hylians are humans, not elves."

"Hmm…"

"Forgot about that, huh?"

"Was that statue an angel?" Peach asked suddenly. "The one you're always in front of?"

Wanda's expression went from playful to distracted. "Yes… Any reason why?"

Peach looked her mother over for a moment. "You almost never take off that cloak, do you?"

"Well, I…"

"Could you take it off?"

Wanda hesitated. "…Okay." She stood up and pulled it up over her head.

Peach was instantly suspicious of the sleeveless nightgown being under the cloak."Is something wrong?" Wanda asked.

"Can I see your back?" Peach asked, maneuvering around the bed behind her. "Your bare back?"

Wanda sat on the bed and quietly undid the buttons on her gown. She pulled her arms out and held the front over her chest, letting the back drop. Peach was disappointed to see no wings. She moved the long mane of hair aside, but she saw no scars, slits, or openings on her shoulder blades.

"Looking for something?" Wanda smiled over her shoulder.

"Hmm…never mind," Peach sighed. She let herself fall onto the bed as her mother slipped her arms back in and buttoned the dress. "Is it okay if I sleep here?"

"Heh. Sure. The last time I saw you, you'd only just begun to sleep by yourself."


	27. Smiley's Deal

**Smiley's Deal**

In the "morning," they all ate and Zelda and Peach began to say their goodbyes near the hatch.

"Goodbye, Mrs. Toadstool," Zelda bowed. "It was an honor to meet you."

"You too, Zelda," Wanda nodded. "Say hello to the others for me."

"I will."

"Mommy…will I ever see you again?" Peach asked.

"Maybe," Wanda smiled bittersweetly. "You know how to reach this place, but it's a bit dangerous. You can always email me." Peach immediately grasped her in a tight hug. "You be careful out there. My gift to you is the Star Piece you swallowed. With it, you are nearly unbeatable as long as you never give up hope. Just have faith like you've always had it." Wanda waved her hand over Peach's head, as if tracing an invisible halo, and Peach briefly glowed yellow.

"I will," Peach said, as a tear ran down her cheek. She pulled herself away with a smile and exited with Zelda.

"Show them what the Wanderer's daughter can do!" Wanda called up to them.

Just as they came up into the cavern, they came across Kamile on her broomstick.

"Hello, girls," she nodded. "Leaving?"

"Yes, it's time for us to get back to work," Zelda said to which Peach nodded. "Though I'm not sure how exactly we are to leave this place…"

"Just go back the way you came," Kamile smiled. "I helped out your fairy friends as best as I could, but they'll need some time to recuperate. The two big ones will be around to guide you to Shooting Star Summit. It's the exit I use all the time."

"Can we really just teleport out of here in the same spots we entered?" Peach asked.

"Of course," Kamile answered. "I can't teleport at all and look at me."

* * *

After navigating into Star Hill, they found the two former Great Fairies waiting for them. They immediately flew over to the two women. 

"Where is the Wanderer?" the Shining Fairy asked.

"She couldn't come with us," Zelda answered.

"Is she going to help us?" the other fairy asked.

"She's done all she needs to," Peach said. The fairies seemed to look at one another uneasily. "Please, take us to Shooting Star Summit."

"…Very well," the Shining Fairy said. "This way." After following her through a few star gates, they reached the outside. The sky was starry and full of stars falling and hitting the ground harmlessly. The ground glowed with starry patterns and there were stars just lying around. They had exited out of a small mountain that reached up into the sky. The air was brisk, but there wasn't any snow.

"We're here," the Fairy of the Depths said. "We'll remain here until our power is restored. The area should be safe enough."

"Thank you," Peach said. "Zelda, my castle is right this way." They walked away from the mystical area, eventually crossing a small bridge. The starry sky somehow faded into daylight as soon as they reached the other side. They could see the tower of the castle just over a hill.

As they approached the dirt path into the castle grounds, a voice suddenly called out, "Hold it right there!" It was a pale mushroom person with a completely white cap, white pants, and black body armor over a white shirt. He was armed with what appeared to be a tranquilizer gun. The mushroom cap was flatter and broader like a coolie hat, the rim obscuring their eyes and casting a shadow over their faces.

"Calm down," Zelda said. "It's just us, Zelda and Peach. Don't you know your own princess when you see her?" Peach watched the mushroom man carefully.

"When there are clones of them running around," he replied, "we can't take any chances." Several more nearly identical soldiers came through the path to join him.

"You aren't Toads, are you?" Peach asked.

"Very observant," he said, raising his gun with the others. "Now, if you'll come along with us, we'll verify your identities at the castle."

"Under who's command are you?" Zelda asked cautiously.

"We're being commissioned by both the Mushroom Kingdom's Royal Army of Sky Land and the Sarasaland Military: Easton Branch."

"I think we can trust them…" Peach said, as they were cuffed with power restraints.

As they walked onto the castle grounds, they found the area being patrolled by other intimidating mushroom soldiers. Some carried Ray guns, Light Guns, or Super Scopes. Others carried miniature Venus Firetraps as belts, holding onto the flower as if it were flamethrowers. There were also a couple of strange machines that looked like 12-foot mechanical version of the soldiers, with small cannons on their chests.

Peach and Zelda were made to stay out in the open, while one of the soldiers took out a radio and contacted "HQ."

"Peach," Zelda whispered, though the soldiers were all glaring right at them. "Do you know these people?"

"I've never seen them before…" Peach replied. "I…I think I know who they are, though. I think they're Death Caps."

"Death Caps? Someone mentioned them before."

"They're another race of mushroom people."

"Our people were wiped out by the Toadstools a few centuries ago," one Death Cap spat. "Our ancestors were the most feared mushrooms in history. Now, we're nothing more than tools for the government."

"I didn't know there would be so many of you," Peach said, looking around.

"Figures that a Toad wouldn't even notice us."

The Death Cap on the radio signaled the others to release the princesses. They did not give the princesses looks that were any friendlier, particularly Peach. "An informant has reported that Morel and Drow are currently in Mushroom City. You're free to go inside. You'll find your room intact and minimal staff to serve you."

"Thank you," Peach said as the cuffs were removed. The Death Caps all turned away and returned to their posts without another word.

"Rather rude subjects, I'd say," Zelda sneered.

"Don't mind them," Peach said. "At least we're back."

* * *

"Okay, so let me get this straight," Daisy said to them over a videophone in Peach's room. "After all this time, all the stalling, and all the crud we've been through, you finally found the Wanderer…and she's not with you?" 

"It's a little complicated," Peach and Zelda replied.

"Okay, I'll assume she had a really good reason for not showing up," Daisy relented. "But did you at least ask her about that Forbidden shield thingy?"

"The Forbidden Seal?!" Peach yelped.

"We completely forgot!" Zelda exclaimed.

"Oh, come on!" Daisy yelled. "It'd be nice to know what's behind the thing, especially since Geno made such a big deal about it."

"How is Geno?" Peach asked.

"Oh, he's fine. He won Dinosaur Land a little while ago and… Hey don't change the subject! Do you know how boring it is over here? They won't let me do anything fun."

"Easy there," Peach smiled. "I have some good news. Mommy has an email address so you can contact her yourself." Daisy pouted, obviously not believing her. "I'm serious. Here's the email address right here. I don't know how she has a working connection, but she does. And I know that she would love to speak to you."

"Whatever," she frowned. "Anyway, our informant told us that you were planning on going to Rainbow Road. Is that right?"

"Yes," Zelda spoke up. "Probably tonight, that is, if we can get proper transportation."

"Done," Daisy snapped her fingers. "But you should also know that our informant strongly discourages you from going. He said things will get ugly really fast."

"Don't you think there's something suspicious about this informant knowing so much about us?" Zelda asked. "Especially when we don't know who this person is."

"He hasn't led us wrong yet," Daisy reasoned. "So are you sure you're going?"

"Morel and Drow said there was something we might be interested in," Peach said. "They aren't completely bad."

"Bad enough," Daisy muttered. "Fine. Just be careful about it." Her image disappeared and the line was cut.

"I never thought I would hear _her _mention anything about being careful," Zelda sighed. "She does have a point though. This is rather suspicious, even without considering the informant's… What are you doing?"

Peach was locking the door, pulling the curtains over the balcony window, and dimming the lights. She smiled at Zelda for a moment and went into the closet. After another moment, she came out in a long pink shirt and apparently short shorts.

"I just wanted to…make up for the way I acted around my mother," Peach said, sitting on the bed next to her. "I was disrespectful to both of you and acting out of character."

"Apology accepted, but…what does that have to do with dressing down and acting so secretive?"

She replied nervously, "I'm dressed this way because it's more comfortable. I usually dress like this when I do what I'm about to do.

"And what would that be?" Zelda asked, growing increasingly uncomfortable.

Peach took a breath and sighed. "Zelda, I can trust you to keep a secret, right?"

"Yes…"

"You can't tell anyone about this, okay? No one. Not Grandma, not Daisy, not even Mommy, okay?"

"You can trust me," Zelda nodded. "I won't tell a soul. But…please tell me you aren't coming out of the closet."

Peach looked confused and looked toward her closet a few feet away. "Well, I…"

"Never mind," Zelda shook her head. "Now, what is it you want to tell me?"

"Actually, it's something I want to show you…or rather…something I want you to do with me." She was blushing at this point. Zelda was trying to avoid frowning. Peach's gaze went to the drawer of the chair beside the bed. Zelda followed her gaze and raised an eyebrow.

"Ah, that," she said with intrigue. "You don't have to show me that if you don't want to. I know how skittish you are about…"

"I think you've earned the right to know about it," Peach said, standing up and slowly approaching the chair. "Besides, it's…one of my guilty pleasures. Whenever I have time just to myself, I set things up just like this and take it out. If anyone were to see me with it, well…I don't know."

"I can't be that bad," Zelda said.

"It's illegal to own in this kingdom," Peach whispered, staring at the drawer. "It's not right to disobey my own laws on a regular basis...but it's just… I can't help myself. And I've been dying to try it out since it's been months since the last time."

"It's all right, Peach," Zelda said. "I understand. I've done similar things."

"To tell the truth, even though you're one of my best friends, I'm still nervous about revealing it. I'm not used to having anyone else in the room while I…you know. It's even weirder for me to ask someone to commit the crime right along with me. I'll understand if you don't want to…"

"Normally, I would refuse," Zelda smirked. "But I'm rather intrigued at the prospect of you of all people having a guilty pleasure."

"So…you don't mind…participating?"

"If I truly get skittish, I'll just fetch a few drinks from the kitchen and inebriate myself so severely that it won't matter."

"Okay," Peach said, opening the drawer. "It's just that sometimes I wonder how Daisy knew about this…"

Zelda raised an eyebrow in slight surprise as Peach lifted it out and set in on the chair. "Similar tastes, I suppose."

* * *

Once the taxi to Mushroom City had arrived, a Death Cap was about to knock on Peach's door, but it suddenly opened and the two princesses walked out in their usual dresses. Both had odd smiles on their faces as they walked right past him and to the main door. The Death Cap eyed them suspiciously. 

"I never thought I'd see that side of you," Zelda whispered with a giggle. "You're not such a goody-two-shoes after all."

They got into the small taxi being driven by a regular Toad man. It pulled out of the castle grounds as the sun was setting and drove down the road toward Toad's Turnpike.

"Beggin' your pardon your majesty," the driver said. "Mushroom City is still run by the Koopas. Bowser made it part of the Dark Land. Isn't it too dangerous for you to go there?"

"We don't plan to stay there," Peach said. "We're actually trying to get to Rainbow Road. Hopefully, we'll get something good out of it."

"I hope so. Bowser's been known to show up in town occasionally."

A few minutes later, they arrived at the seemingly abandoned hangar just outside Mushroom City. Peach and Zelda were surprised to be greeted by Drow in a blue winter coat.

"Hello, there," she smiled.

"How did you know about this place?" Zelda asked guardedly.

"I do my job quite well. How are you Peach?"

"I'm fine, thanks. We were planning on taking a transport to Rainbow…"

"My way is faster," Drow said, walking to them. "Besides, I dispatched the rest of the people on the base. They're not dead, just unconscious."

"I guess we can thank you for that much," Zelda muttered. "Now, then, what is it that you, Morel, and Smiley want with us?"

"Just a second." Drow placed a hand on their shoulders and teleported with them. They found themselves standing on a massive star that had eyes. It was floating in space, surrounded by a road apparently made of rainbows and stardust, all high above the distant Mushroom City below. They were either in outer space or at the very edge of it. The stars were clearly visible even though the sun had not quite set for the city below. Some star patterns were eerily recognizable constellations such as mushrooms, Fire Flowers, and starmen. Morel was standing nearby, also in a winter coat. It was quite chilly here.

"All right, you're here," she said. "That means we can get started."

"First, we want to know what is being offered," Zelda insisted. Then she and Peach felt shivers go up their spines. In a flash of dark fire, Smiley appeared.

"I'm glad you decided to come," he said. "And I would just like to remind you that this is all completely optional. Just know that once you accept, there's no turning back. Now, both pairs of pretty princesses are here because there is a chance for them to get something that would be rather difficult to attain otherwise. First, I must ask for your team names."

"Royal Pain," Morel said, clashing her fists together as Drow grinned. "Strength, beauty, and magic."

"Perfection at its core," Drow added.

"That will do," Smiley nodded. "And how about you two working for the good guys?"

Zelda and Peach glanced at one another. Zelda spoke for them. "I think Princess to Princess will do for us."

"That's a strange one," Smiley commented.

"It all goes back to a promise between friends," Zelda said, looking down on them.

"A promise we're both going to keep," Peach added, beginning to tremble in his presence.

"Yes, yes, love and peace and all that nonsense," Smiley sighed. "The prize being offered to…let's just call it Team P2P…is the safe return of both Mario and Link, the two would-be heroes. Am I correct that that is what you desire? Because if it isn't, you're free to pick another…"

"No, that's fine," Peach said quickly.

"I'm still waiting for the catch," Zelda said.

"Ah, that lies in the prize being offered to Team Royal Pain," Smiley said.

"You see," Drow began, "we're essentially going to face off against you. If you win, you get your prize. If we win, we get our prize."

"Ah," Zelda smirked. "I've been waiting for the chance to bury my fist into your face again."

"Maybe another time," Morel chuckled.

"What?"

"You won't be fighting physically," Smiley said smoothly as his mask rotated. It suddenly switched back into place as he growled, "You'll be facing off in my very own quiz show! The topics will all be _very_, perhaps _painfully_ familiar to you. But worst of all, if you lose, you'll have to suffer Royal Pain's reward."

"If you lose, you and a select few of your friends," Drow explained, "will become our magically entranced concubines."

"There's that word again," Peach said in slight frustration. "What's a concubine?"

"A concubine," Drow said politely, "is a woman who cohabits as a secondary wife or sexual partner other than the primary wife."

Morel clarified bluntly with a smile, "In this case, you'll become our servants, mostly in a sexual sense."

Peach yelped, "Whaaa?!"

"I had actually thought better of you people," Zelda said in disgust.

"Well Zelda, feel free to puss out," Morel retorted.

"Like the little bitch you are," Drow added, to which Peach gasped.

"What did you just call me?" Zelda growled, stepping closer.

"I called you a little bitch," Drow replied coolly, approaching her as well. "Do you have a problem with that?" They were standing right in front of one another, though Drow's coat made her seem bigger.

Resisting the urge to attack then and there, Zelda turned to Smiley and asked, "I'd like to add something to our prize. I would like the right do whatever I see fit to this…this…"

"Something wrong, bitch?" Drow asked.

"Oooh!" Zelda fumed.

"That's fine," Smiley said. "So does everyone accept?"

"Of course," Morel said, as Drow continued to smile.

"It's up to you, Peach," Zelda said, trying to calm down. "Personally, I would love the opportunity to humiliate that witch, despite the risks. And we can get Link and Mario back."

Peach stared at Smiley. "What do you get out of this?"

"Me?" Smiley asked. "Well, you may not realize this, but I'm a bit of a sadist. I rather enjoy making other people suffer. I can do just that with this little game of mine. So, how about it?"

"I don't trust you…but if it'll bring back Mario…"

"Very good," he growled. "Let's get started!"

Out of nowhere the segments of a stage crashed all around them. There were curtains at the each end of the stage, cheap props of stars hanging by strings from an unseen ceiling, and two pairs of podiums that popped up on the sides of the stage. In front of the stage, where a segment of Rainbow Road was winding around the massive star, rows of seats appeared. An audience suddenly popped out of nowhere in the seats, all looking very confused. It was a diverse audience of Toads, Goombas, Koopas, Bandits, Hylians, Zoras, Gorons, Gerudos, and other races and creatures. To Peach and Zelda's surprise, some of the audience members were familiar. Both Daisy and Malon were there, seated right next to each other.

"What's all this?" Zelda asked.

"I needed an audience," Smiley said as if it were obvious. "Please stand behind your podiums as I explain the rules of this show, which is being broadcast _live_ from Rainbow Road." A few befuddled Lakitus with cameras popped out of thin air.

"It's really quite simple," he continued. "I ask a question, someone buzzes in with the red button on their podium, and answers the question. If she gets it right, her team gets one point. If she gets it wrong she will be punished with comedic effect. Should anyone rather that the question not be answered at all, she must yell out _surrender_ and press the yellow button on their podium. The question will be skipped, but the opposing team will gain three points automatically. Does everyone understand?" Everyone nodded. "Good. Then let's begin."

_Notes: As you can probably tell from the terms of Smiley's Deal, the next chapter is another one of those edgy ones. Nothing nearly as extreme as what you read in _Sage Revival_, but I always like to give you guys fair warning. It's one of those chapters that really bogged down the editing process and I'm still not totally happy with it. Oh well. The show must go on!_


	28. Pride and Punishment

**Pride and Punishment**

"We'll start with some easy questions," Smiley said as a question card appeared in his sleeve. "Of these creatures, only one actually dwells in lava. Is it: A. Fry Guy, B. Flame Guy, C. Fire Chomp, or D. Red Bubble?

Zelda buzzed in, "Red Bubble."

"P2P gets the first point." Smiley glanced at the audience, who nervously began to clap.

"Good job, Zelda," Peach smiled.

"Next question. Mario has been many things in his lifetime. Of the following roles, which has he not donned? A. Villain, B. Sex Symbol…"

"What?" Peach buzzed in. "It has to be B." A dusty wooden hammer suddenly fell on her head. "Ow!"

The crowd let out a simultaneous "Aw."

"Incorrect," Smiley chuckled mildly. "The correct answer was C. Luigi's Sidekick."

"You suck, Smiley!" Daisy's voice was heard.

"Next question. Besides her first game, how many starring roles has Daisy had?"

Morel buzzed in, "Zero."

"Boo!" Daisy shouted as Royal Pain got a point. "You suck too! This whole lousy show sucks!" Suddenly, Daisy began to gag, as if she were choking.

"Thank you, Drow," Smiley nodded. "Next question. How did Princess Peach learn to swordfight so effectively?"

Peach buzzed in. "Baton lessons."

"…Correct?" Smiley questioned, inspecting the card closely. "Bah!" He threw away the card. "Time for the fun questions now. Who was the first person to make Zelda scream in ecstasy?"

"That's personal!" Zelda objected.

"Feel free to say the magic word," Drow chuckled. "Free points for us."

"Fine…" Zelda said through gritted teeth.

Before she could do anything, Drow pressed her buzzer and called out, "Dark Link!"

"Correct," Smiley said as the crowd gasped. Zelda shrank back behind her podium, scowling at Drow.

"It's okay," Peach said, patting her.

"What is one of Peach's guilty pleasures?" Smiley asked.

"Surrender!" Peach shouted instantly.

"The score is now five to two in Royal Pain's favor," Smiley said. "It is said that Peach has peaches in more ways than one. Identify three."

"Zelda?" Peach asked in bewilderment as Morel buzzed in. Zelda quickly whispered something into her ear. "Surrender!"

"Peach, that wasn't worth giving them three points!" Zelda retorted.

"True or false," Smiley continued. "Zelda and Malon have had sexual relations."

Drow called out, "Surrender."

"Huh?" Smiley and Zelda questioned.

"It's no fun if it's no secret," Drow explained.

"I can't agree with that," Smiley said, but he shrugged. "Oh, well. True or false: Morel is a lesbian."

"Obviously true," Zelda buzzed in. A lightning bolt suddenly struck her and she was blackened to the color of ash.

"Incorrect," Smiley said. "She clearly goes both ways. True or false: Peach is a bisexual."

Zelda glanced over at Peach. "Peach, why aren't you buzzing in?"

"I've never really thought about it," she answered. "I…don't know. I _am_ part fungus…"

"What does that have to do with anything?" Zelda asked. She looked over to the clones who also didn't seem to have a clue. "Then I suppose _no one_ knows." All eyes turned to Smiley.

"I was hoping _someone_ would answer that," he said, throwing the card away. "Oh well. What is Peach's biggest turn-on?"

"Surrender!" Peach yelled. "Why are you asking so many M-rated…no, AO-rated questions?"

"Well, we're all adults here, aren't we?" Smiley said.

"Peach, I see what he's doing," Zelda whispered. "He's going to make us surrender the questions so much that the clones will be guaranteed to win. No more surrendering, okay?"

"Do you think I'm only targeting you?" Smiley asked. "Quite mistaken. I can play fair. Here's an audio clip of Morel and Drow during their supposed lovemaking. Is it real, or did I just conjure this up?"

"Hell…" Drow said squeamishly.

* * *

"Your status, Geno?" a gruff Death Cap asked, his voice coming through a radio on a transport ship.

"En route to the drop point," Geno said, sitting in the cabin. "Commander, are you sure these are the right coordinates?"

"Affirmative, Geno," the Death Cap replied. "Our satellite uplinks have detected Princess Daisy's presence near the center of Rainbow Road. I've already assigned my regular infantry to infiltrate Mushroom City in secret."

"Then, why do you need me and him?" Geno asked, glancing at the figure in the shadows next to him. "Shouldn't he be feeding us information like he's been doing?"

"The informant insisted on coming along. It's out of our hands. Apparently, that masked freak took someone or something important from him, just like several other missing persons around the world. They're all probably right up there suffering whatever evil that creature has in mind. Add to that, we have reason to believe that both Koopa and Dragmire are headed to that location as we speak. We don't know what they're up to, but you can be sure that it's no good. I'll personally be there in a short while to get rid of that overgrown turtle. We've got a little surprise for him."

"So, our job is to get Daisy, Peach, and Zelda out of there?"

"Daisy is the priority," the Commander said. "Sarasaland will have our butts if something happens to her. I hear that Dragmire wants some sort of magical object from Zelda, so she is to be guarded as well. Peach is non-essential."

"Non-essential? Commander, I don't quite agree with…"

"Over and out," the Commander said brusquely.

"Death Caps…" Geno sighed. He turned to his unexpected partner. "I didn't expect that you would be the informant."

* * *

The crowd was stunned silent. Peach was stunned silent as well, though she was blushing. Zelda had a smirk on her face. Drow had sunk behind her podium, while Morel's mouth hung open.

"I think we'll surrender on that one," Drow said quietly.

"Am I really that cruel?" Morel asked no one in particular.

"Apparently so," Smiley chuckled. "The score is now even, with both teams having eight points."

"I'm a monster…" Morel said sullenly.

"_This wasn't how it was supposed to be!"_ Drow said to Smiley through telepathy. "_You're supposed to be on our side!"_

"And now for something that's really been nagging me," Smiley said. "True or false: Morel and Drow have been getting physically weaker and more fragile."

"True?" Peach said unsurely, bracing herself for pain.

"Correct," Smiley laughed, to which the clones both frowned. "It's been a while since you last fought them."

"You're pushing it, Smiley," Drow warned.

"Can't take a little bit of your own medicine?" Zelda taunted.

"Now, it's time for a physical challenge," Smiley said.

"It's about time," Morel sighed.

"The surrender rules also apply here. One member of each team will select a member of the opposing team. The challenge is to make the opposing member experience an orgasm within the three-minute time limit."

"You sick bastard," Zelda cringed.

"Orgasm…" Peach mulled over the word. "Like…amoebas and phytoplankton?"

"No, those would be organisms," Smiley corrected her. "Of the Kingdom...Protista, if I'm not mistaken. Zelda, would you please enlighten her?"

Zelda whispered into Peach's ear. Peach began to blush. "Oh…Hmm."

"Yes," Smiley said, as his mask turned upside down. "You know what that is now, don't you? You've experienced that before haven't you?"

Peach blushed, but buzzed in and answered, "Yes." The score for Team P2P went up by one.

"Very clever," Smiley said agitatedly, manually turning his mask back into its correct position. "Now, you're two points ahead. The only other rules for this game are that the players must not physically touch one another. Any physical resistance on the part of the victim, be it attacking the seducer, covering her ears, or drowning her out with humming will count as an immediate surrender. Likewise, should the seducer touch the victim, the victim's team will receive three points. Partners are also not allowed to assist. Morel, you have the first pick."

Morel stepped from behind her podium and beckoned Zelda to step out into the center of the stage. Zelda sighed heavily and complied with a frown on her face, folding her arms over her chest.

"Ready," Morel said to Smiley.

"Begin," Smiley said, the lights dimmed, even though they were outside. Somehow, light shined on Zelda and Morel. The clone manifested a small pocket-sized notebook and began to turn through its pages.

"This is actually a romance novel I've been working on," Morel blushed. "I hope you like it."

"Whatever, just get on with it," Zelda shrugged.

"Ahem…"

* * *

"A rather impressive being, I must say," Ganondorf said as he and Bowser strolled through the dark halls of Ganondorf's fortress in the Dark World. "Able to manifest matter through sheer will. The ability to reduce the most powerful fairies to pitiful pixie dust. It's no wonder he gave the Wanderer so much trouble."

"He might be more trouble than he's worth," Bowser growled, somewhat impressed by the dreary décor. "He's been playing around too much for my taste. He could have captured Zelda and killed Peach several times by now. I like a good laugh as much as the next guy, but that's ridiculous."

"Is that why you're asking me to come along with you?" Ganondorf smirked. "Think he might be a little tough to take on alone."

"Not quite, Ganny," Bowser replied, with a chuckle. "That imp is powerful, but he's not match for me. What I'm a little worried about is his habit running from a fight. He's a tricky one. I don't want him outsmarting me at the last minute."

"I'll take that as a compliment. Does this also involve the insubordination of the clones?"

"Bingo. We're the only ones who can set them straight. Plus, Zelda and Peach are there. Why not pay them a little visit?"

"I like your style."

"I like yours," Bowser said as he glanced at the large bolted door in front of them.

* * *

"One point for Team Royal Pain," Smiley cackled.

"Zelda, are you okay?" Peach asked, seeing the uncomfortable look on Zelda's face.

"She liked it," Morel giggled as she skipped to her podium. "Maybe I can publish it."

"Well done, Dearest," Drow smiled.

"Your turn Drow," Smiley said.

"Go ahead and begin the timer," Drow nodded. "My target will be Peach."

"Careful, Honey," Morel warned. "She's a tough cookie, unless you know what her…"

"Shh!" Smiley said, casting a silence spell on her.

"I'm well aware of her tastes," Drow said, closing her eyes.

Peach looked confused for a moment. As familiar images began to flash through her mind and her heart quickened, she quickly called out, "Surrender!"

"She can't use telepathy!" Zelda objected. "That's cheating."

"I never said you couldn't use your powers," Smiley said, awarding the points. "It's your turn, Zelda."

"Powers are okay, hmm?" Zelda glared, focusing on Morel. Morel suddenly gasped and hunched over. Drow thrust her hand out and Zelda was knocked down.

"Oh, I'm afraid that counts as a surrender," Smiley said.

"You want to take cheap shots?!" Zelda yelled at Drow.

"I could break you where you stand!" Drow retorted.

"It's Peach's turn," Smiley said. "Will it be Drow?"

"I…" Peach began nervously. "I don't know how to make people do that… I don't want to. It's gross."

"Hmph!" Smiley groaned. "Fine. Royal Pain gets three points, putting them two points ahead of you. Now, here come the really tough questions."

"When is this going to end?" Drow asked. "This is getting annoying."

"Who are Morel and Drow _really_ working for?" Smiley asked.

"Surrender," Drow said bitterly.

"Got something to hide?" Smiley asked. When Drow didn't answer, Smiley continued, "Next question. Why have Morel and Drow gotten heavier recently?" Both Morel and Drow glared at him hatefully.

Peach buzzed in. "Because…because they've been working out." A shadow suddenly appeared over her. She leapt out of the way as a glowering Thwomp crashed through the star floor, destroying her podium. "You could've killed me!"

"Incorrect," Smiley said, as his mask began to turn again. "The correct answer is that they are both…"

"Don't you dare…" Morel growled.

"Smiley…"Drow warned.

"Pregnant," Smiley said, breaking into a bout of laughter. "Can you believe it? They're both pregnant! And I seem to be the only one who knows about it besides them and a certain third party. They hide it awfully well, don't they?"

"You mean to tell us," Zelda began skeptically, "we've been fighting two pregnant versions of ourselves?"

"And losing, I might add."

"Is that true?" Peach asked them. Morel and Drow had their sights on Smiley.

"Yes," Morel said.

"Ha, ha, ha, ha!" Smiley cackled. "And here's a question that will beat them all, worth double points."

"I don't like this game anymore," Morel said quietly.

"Of the choices I list," Smiley began insidiously, "what is inside Peach's drawer, often known as '???' or 'XXX?'"

"No…" Peach gasped. "Stop right now!"

"Is it A. Various mediums of pornography?"

"Shut up!" Peach screamed.

"B. A Dildo/Vibrator?"

"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" Peach shrieked angrily.

"C. An Xbox?"

"No, no, no, no, no!" Peach clutched her face.

"Or bondage gear?"

"Nooooo!" Peach was beginning to give off an increasingly fiery glow. "Surrender!"

"Morel," Smiley said, as her buzzer went off without her doing anything. "Your answer? For the win."

"No, please don't!" Peach shouted, running over to her. "I surrender! You win!"

"Peach," Zelda called out to her. "I understand how you feel about this, but it's not _that_ big a deal."

"No, no, no!" Peach shook her head. "Don't answer, right or wrong! Not here, not like this! Not in front of them!" She glanced out to the crowd, paying particular attention to the Toads. Her heart was struck with fear and she turned back to Morel.

"Peach, I honestly don't know," Morel said. "It's not a question I can answer."

"Good, good, good!" Peach said with an almost crazed smiled.

"Spoil sport," Smiley groaned. "Fine. Royal Pain gets six points for the surrender, and the win."

"Oh, thank you!" Peach sighed, hugging Morel.

"Peach," Zelda grimaced. "You do realize you just surrendered our freedom."

"I don't care!" Peach laughed with joy, nuzzling Morel, who looked uncomfortable. "My secret is safe! Now, no one will ever know! That's all that matters."

"And now for the correct answer," Smiley said. Peach's smiled dropped and her heart stopped. "The correct answer was C. An Xbox, along with Halo: Combat Evolved."

Zelda was surprised to see the Mushroom World races in complete shock. Some of them seemed to be in disbelief. Others were muttering less than confident comments about her. Even Daisy seemed to be surprised at the newfound fact.

"She plays it habitually," Smiley added, as Peach let go of Morel. "Quite skilled at it. She loves gunning down those aliens. I even hear that she played a part as a voice actress. Oh, what's this?"

Peach turned around with a deadly serious face full of nothing but hate and anger. She wiped the small stream of tears coming out of her eyes. The Shining Star appeared above her and turned red. Morel and Drow moved away as an aura of fire overtook Peach. "You fiend! You just made a big mistake! I'll make you wish you never existed!"


	29. Rage

_Note: Man, I've been gone for way too long. Let's get this a little more up to date, shall we?_

**Rage **

"It looks like you've decided to start your own physical challenge," Smiley said as the stage setting disappeared. They stood on the bare star, while the crowd looked on from the road. Circles of fire formed around Zelda and the clones. "If it's a fight you want, it's a fight you'll get."

"Be careful, Peach," Zelda said, careful not to move.

"I'm going to enjoy tearing you apart," Smiley laughed. He flew at Peach with a blade out. She stood in place, staring him down. His sword clanged off of her harmlessly and his robes caught fire. "Hmm, so you think you're a super…"

She backhanded with her fiery hand and clenched her teeth. "Do you have any idea what you've done to me?" she seethed as he stumbled back. "You've ruined my life!" She slapped him again, knocking him to the ground. "I would have rather been their slave than let that secret get out." He sank into the ground and rose up behind her, swinging his sword into the back of her neck. The sword shattered on impact. She swung around into another fiery backhand. When he fell, she jumped and flipped into a hip-drop. He burst into a dark cloud as she cracked the face of the star.

He reformed in front of her. "Calm down, little girl," he growled. "You're not going to get rid of me throwing a tantrum." She stomped on his foot and grabbed his mask. She kicked him repeatedly where his crotch would have been, as she squeezed the mask. Finally, she pulled it off, managing to set his entire body on fire. Seeing only a dark hole where his face would have been, she crammed a Psych Bomb into his hood, and smacked him away with her crown. The explosion went off in mid-air. Everyone watched as a burning robe fell over the side of the star and towards the ground far below.

Peach sighed, and the fiery aura subsided. She sank to her knees somberly, tossing away the Phanto mask.

"Something isn't right," Zelda said.

"The flames haven't disappeared!" Drow called out.

"Watch out, Peach!" Morel shouted.

Peach turned just as the Phanto itself struck her, apparently more than a mask. A new Garo body phased into existence to take it as its face. "I told you I couldn't be beaten so easily," Smiley cackled.

"Huh?" Peach yelped, scooting away.

"Got over your little tantrum, eh?" he said, standing over her. "I suppose I'll just get rid of you then." Peach braced herself for a sword strike, but instead, he took off his mask. A black beam of energy fired out of his hood and into her. She was blasted clear over the crowd's section and off Rainbow Road.

As the others cried her name, Smiley turned to Zelda, putting his mask back into place.

"Stay away from me!" Zelda screamed.

"Oh, I'm not going to hurt you," Smiley said, looking at the crowd. "At least not yet. I think you have a friend or two in that crowd." A giant blue Thwomp suddenly appeared above the crowd. It was bigger than the width of the road. Fire barriers blocked everyone from escaping.

"Don't you dare!" Zelda accidentally burned herself as she reached out to him.

A whirling blade of yellow energy flew from below the road and sliced through the Thwomp, splitting it so that its halves fell over either side of the road harmlessly. A Sarasaland transport ship rose up behind the crowd with Geno holding Peach in one arm and aiming his arm cannon at Smiley. The Geno Beam fired directly into Smiley's body and everything but the mask disintegrated. The mask floated in place as a new Garo Robe took the previous one's place.

Smiley began to laugh maniacally. "Ha, ha, ha. You damn puppet. I can shoot beams, too." He removed his mask.

"You're not fighting him," a familiar voice called. Bolt burst out of the transport ship, over the road, and onto the star, firing his electrical fireball directly into Smiley's hood. The mask plopped to the ground as the robe collapsed on itself. Soon, another Garo Robe took its place.

"You traitor!" Smiley growled. "How dare you attack me! I am carrying out our leader's will. What reason do you have to interfere?"

"I've never been fond of your kind," Bolt replied. "You cause needless mayhem. Your methods serve no purpose other than to fulfill your twisted desires. And our so-called leader is at least as bad. But most importantly, you threatened the life of someone very important to me," he said as his eyes glowed yellow.

"Peach?" Smiley asked, turning his mask sideways.

"Bolt!" a red Bandit called out to him. Bolt turned to see her. She was safe. Smiley took the opportunity to go for an attack with his blade. Bolt glanced at him and planted his fist into Smiley's mask. Smiley stumbled back.

"Smiley!" Geno called out. "In the name of the Star Road, you are under arrest for wrongfully taking possession of Rainbow Road. Give up and you won't be destroyed."

"Really?" Smiley said mockingly. "Let me think… Goodbye." He began to sink into the ground until Bolt used his Willy Wisp to catch Smiley in place. "Fine, I'll just do this the old fashioned way." He broke into a run and jumped onto the road.

"He won't get away that easily," Geno said.

"You take care of the hostages," Bolt said to him. "I'll take him down."

"Fair enough," Geno nodded, sheathing his cannon.

Bolt jumped onto the road and charged his energy. "Static E." A flash of electricity stopped Smiley in place.

"You can't win, you know," Smiley said, turning back to him.

"If you're so sure, why are you running?" Bolt said, walking to him.

"This sort of thing isn't my style."

"You don't have a choice. You're not the type to surrender. You just better hope I destroy you before the others get here."

"How do you know I won't destroy _you_, little man? I happen to know your weakness."

"No regrets," Bolt said, cracking his knuckles. "I'm hoping you'll be a challenge since you managed to beat Master Jinx."

"Just know that when I'm done with you, I'm going after your little girlfriend."

"No mercy."

"Round One! Fight!"

Bolt quickly advanced with a kick to Smiley's face, a spinning kick to his stomach. He spun again to deliver a backhanded punch to Smiley's face and crouched to crack the mask with a rising uppercut. Smiley went reeling through the air, but caught himself, revealing his swords as soon as he landed. He charged forward, but Bolt blocked the blades with his arms, seemingly unharmed. Smiley pressed forth, though Bolt held him at bay. Smiley giggled and the blades lit on fire.

"Ah!" Bolt flinched, backing away. He ducked and sidestepped the following slashes. He performed a sweep with his leg to trip up the phantom and summoned lightning to strike him on the spot.

"Ah!" Smiley groaned as his mask took the full force of the strike. He flared like a fireball, forcing Bolt to jump back. When Smiley advanced again, Bolt threw his electrical fireball, but Smiley jumped it. "Your 8-bit Blast won't work!"

The Zeus Guy kicked him out of the air, landing him onto the blast, sending him further back. Bolt dashed in and juggled him in the air with powerful strikes, each one hitting Smiley's mask. Smiley suddenly disappeared in a flare of black fire, singing Bolt, and then reappeared behind him. Bolt turned around and kicked him the face, putting Smiley on his back. Smiley hopped up only to be knocked down again with a punch in the face. He hopped up blocking with his extinguished swords, though Bolt continued to pound on them.

Finally, Smiley ignited his swords and tried to attack Bolt. Bolt jumped behind him to avoid the strike and the little dance repeated several times, much to Smiley's anger. He tried to predict Bolt's evasions by swinging high, but Bolt simply ducked down and charged his energy.

"16-Bit Blast!" Bolt yelled, landing a brighter, more intense orb of electrical fire into the chin of Smiley's mask in a rising uppercut. Smiley went flying over the edge of Rainbow road. Bolt jumped above him and dived down with his blade of electrical energy, piercing the eye of the Phanto mask on their way down toward the city.

"Aaaaah!" Smiley screamed. Bolt struck him repeatedly on the way down through the sky, maintaining his position on top. Finally, Smiley kicked him away, but Bolt easily sent a Lightning Orb to drive Smiley down faster. The orb caught him against the dotted mushroom-like roof of a skyscraper. Smiley lay on his back for a moment while he recomposed himself. He rolled out of the way and to his feet just as Bolt buried his fist into the roof, completely unharmed by the fall. Bolt swung at his face, but Smiley ducked. Bolt tried to sweep him, but Smiley jumped back. Bolt charged himself with electrical energy and surged after him with punches, but Smiley backflipped under and away from each strike.

When he finished flipping, Smiley cross-slashed Bolt with his flaming swords before blasting him away with the black laser, his mask somehow moving by itself briefly before returning to its place. Bolt managed to stay on his feet, but he skidded to the other side of the roof. As Smiley charged once more, with his flaming swords forward, Bolt gathered energy into his hands.

"64-Bit Blast!" he yelled, firing off a bright ball of energy that flashed green, yellow, red, and blue repeatedly. Smiley disappeared in a flash of black flames before it could hit him and reappeared behind Bolt, lunging out of thin air with his fire blades. Bolt groaned in pain as he caught the swords in his hands, glancing at the slowly moving 64-bit orb behind him. He rolled back, trying to flip Smiley into it, though Smiley teleported again before he could hit it. He reappeared on the other side of the roof and pointed his sword at Bolt.

"Interesting that your powers _are_ your weakness!" Smiley called out. Bolt was shocked when the fiery blade shot out of the Garo Robe's sleeve, connected to a chain, past the orb, and jammed painfully into Bolt's shoulder. As the chain began to retract, Bolt was pulled toward his own attack. He tried to ground himself, but the pull was too strong to stop fast enough. He summoned his electrical blade to pierce and break the chain just before he would have hit the orb. He could not relax however, as Smiley teleported just behind him and attempted another diving strike. Bolt slid under him and tried a less dangerous, but faster 8-Bit Blast. Smiley sidestepped it and tried to strike again. Bolt held up his arms to lessen the damage from the immediate double-strike. He sidestepped another strike and caught Smiley with two jabs in the face. As Smiley blocked his mask, Bolt wrapped his arms around Smiley, fighting the burning sensation. He grabbed the back of Smiley's hood and ran straight for the orb, aiming to ram the Phanto mask straight into it before it left the building.

"No! No!" Smiley growled. When they hit, the fiery explosion sent them both into the side of a taller skyscraper. As Bolt, burnt and blackened slid down the wall, nearly losing consciousness, Smiley jammed one sword into the wall and jammed the other into Bolt's shoulder.

"Uagh!" Bolt bellowed. Smiley removed the other sword from the building and somehow, ran straight up the wall, making sure to make Bolt's mask skid along the surface and hit every flagpole. When they finally reached the top, Smiley leapt high into the sky and slammed Bolt down hard on the roof, leaving the sword lodged in his shoulder.

Bolt opened his eyes to see the large moon in the sky, and rolled out of the way as Smiley tried to pierce him with another blow. Bolt ripped the blade out of his shoulder and flicked it directly into Smiley's forehead. The blade stuck momentarily before dissolving into smoke.

"You pest! I'll send you to Hell with the rest of your kind!"

"Starting to get a little afraid, are we?" Bolt panted. "I'm not as vulnerable as you thought I was. You can't take much more, can you?"

"Neither can you!" Smiley laughed. They ran towards one another and jumped into the air. Smiley aimed to strike him down, but Bolt grabbed both blades with his hands and flip-kicked Smiley away, separating him from the blades. Once Smiley was down, Bolt threw one blade at him. Smiley teleported behind him, so Bolt slashed toward him with the other blade. When Smiley teleported in front of him, Bolt threw the blade, but Smiley teleported above him. He landed and went into a flurry of blazing strikes. Bolt could only hunker down and block as his energy charged. He then let loose Static E to get Smiley away from him. Smiley teleported behind him again, close to the ledge and summoned a ghostly Zeus Guy into existence beside him. Bolt unleashed his Flame Wall, incinerating the Zeus Guy instantly, though Smiley simply teleported again, this time to the far end of the opposite ledge.

"Stop being a coward and fight me!" Bolt yelled in aggravation. He watched, as Smiley seemed to be charging himself up. Suddenly, he opened his robe and dozens of flaming chained swords launched straight at him. With no time for any special moves, Bolt had to rely on his own evasive skill, which was quite good thanks to his training under Jinx. He ducked, jumped, and flipped by most of the swords. Even as the swords still came, Smiley removed his mask and began to fire black lasers. When that wasn't enough, Smiley blew a cloud of fire across the roof. Bolt had no choice but to jump. Unfortunately, a sword snagged him by his leg and he was retracted straight back to Smiley.

"Ha, ha, ha!" Smiley laughed with glee as he took his free shots at the dangling Zeus Guy. "This is more like it!"

"128-Bit Blast!" Bolt screamed through the pain. He placed his hand as close as he could to Smiley's face and they were both engulfed in an explosion.

As the smoke rose out of the crater in the roof, Bolt managed to get to one knee, just barely able to maintain consciousness. He looked at Smiley, who was missing one-half of his mask.

"What have you done to me?" Smiley cried.

"It's over. You're finished." Bolt raised a weak hand toward the quickly disintegrating Garo Robe Smiley. "Willy Wisp." The red orb burned through the robe and caught the remainder in a stream of particles.

"It won't end like this!" Smiley screamed. "You hear me?! Darkness will consume all! Isn't that right, Master? Aaaaaah!" The rest of the mask finally burnt to ashes.

"Master?" Bolt questioned, looking around. He began to hear organ music. As the smoke cleared, he saw a redheaded man in purple playing an organ on the roof with his back turned to him.

"Ah yes, the last remaining Zeus Guy…allegedly," the elfish man said. He seemed to be wearing a mask. "You're a credit to your kind. Though I rather liked Smiley, I don't really need him anymore."

"Who are you?" Bolt asked, struggling to stand up.

"The master of chaos," he replied. "Quite fun. Much better than being sealed up. I thought I would start things with a bang. A little runt stopped me last time. But this time, I think I'll succeed."

"What are you rambling about?"

"Doesn't the moon look lovely tonight?"

Bolt looked up into the sky. The moon looked oddly bigger, much bigger than he had ever remembered it being. "Then, you must be the leader of the 8-Bits Club." He took his eyes off the moon to find the organ gone and the man standing in front of him. He wore a vaguely familiar mask. It was heart-shaped, intricately colored, had spikes all along the perimeter, and two round piercing eyes.

"The name's Majora by the way," the man said, as the eyes of the mask began to glow orange. "Bolt was it? I'm afraid I heard your little speech earlier. If you're not interested in serving me, then you're not really interested in living at all. Goodbye, Bolt."

"Hold it!" Zelda shouted, standing on top of the transport ship as it hovered down. "Don't move!" Peach was standing right by her, looking rather exhausted.

The man pointed his finger at the ship as if it were a gun. "Bang." A fiery beam fired from the mask and pierced the ship, sending it spiraling. Peach and Zelda jumped off, landing near Bolt.

"Is Bandita okay?" Bolt asked.

"Geno is with her and the others," Peach said.

"We're fine by the way," Zelda added sarcastically.

"I would heal you, but I ran out of magic using it on myself," Peach sighed. "Who is this man?"

"It's not the man you should worry about," Bolt said. "That's Majora's Mask, the leader of the 8-Bits Club."

"Majora's Mask?!" Zelda shrieked. "That's the cursed mask Link defeated years ago!"

"Ah, you must be his friend," the mask spoke. "Well, this time my earth-shaking plans are going to be fulfilled. And there's not a thing you can do about it."

"Well, well, well!" Bowser's voice came in over an intercom through the city. "It seems that our little nuisance has finally revealed himself. And with our favorite girls, too."

"Bowser?" Peach said, looking all around. "Where are you?" The monstrous turtle burst through the remainder of the roof and landed next to Majora.

"Right here, baby!" he guffawed. "So, what's this I hear about this clown trying to spoil my little kingdom? Dropping the moon in my backyard isn't very considerate."

"Oh, yeah?" the mask said, jerking the man's head toward him. "What are you going to do about it? No giants here to stop the moon!" He gazed up into the moon, which seemed to be nearing Rainbow Road.

Bowser revealed the Star Rod. He aimed it at the moon and it gave off a sparkle. The moon slowly, but noticeably began to retreat to its original position.

"How did you do that?!" the mask asked angrily. "How could you? I oughta…"

"That's enough outta' you," Bowser said, casting a spell on the mask. It fell off the man's face with a thunk and the man fell unconscious.

"It looks like you didn't need me after all," Ganondorf said, rising out of the roof.

"You've done well, Bolt," Bowser said. "We can take it from here." Bolt glanced at the two relatively helpless princesses.

"Ohhhh, no!" Majora's Mask said, suddenly springing back to life. "You won't get rid of me that easily!" With another wave of the rod, it returned to its inanimate state.

"Sheesh!" Bowser sighed. "Hey, Ganny. Mind breaking that thing in half for me? You're good with magic stuff."

"Hmph." Ganondorf landed directly on the mask, shattering it to pieces. "Pathetic."

Suddenly, a light shined on Bowser from above. He looked up and two saw stealth ships become visible. A voice came over a megaphone. "King Koopa, maintain your position! We have you surrounded. If you attempt to retreat or resist, we will fire."

"Who do you think you are?" Bowser growled. "I don't take orders from anyone! Stupid Sarasaland and their stupid military."

"For your information, we are the Death Caps, not Sarasaland soldiers."

"Didn't think you guys were still around," Bowser chuckled. "Guess you won't be much longer, now will you?" He smiled and raised the Star Rod into the air. The others noticed as the fragments of the mask suddenly began to shake before they all flew around Bowser. "What the? Hey, what's going on?"

"You may have destroyed me!" Majora spoke. "But I will still get the last laugh. If I can't cause annihilation and chaos with the moon, then I'll just use you!"

"Stupid mask!" Bowser growled, using the Star Rod to blow the particles away.

Ganondorf moved back when a strange aura overtook Bowser. He was surrounded by glowing particles that constantly switched through different colors and spectrums. Then, Ganondorf noticed that Peach and Zelda were running away. He glanced at Bowser once more before giving chase.

"What's…happening…to me?" Bowser clutched his head. He began to shake momentarily. When he stopped, his skin had darkened and his shell had turned black. He looked at his Star Rod and gobbled it down.

"Prepare to be apprehended," the Death Caps called out to him again. Bowser roared. He leapt straight at the stealth ship and dragged it down the streets below in a fiery explosion, though he seemed unharmed. "Have it your way!"

_Note: Free cool points to whoever can figure out what the next two chapters are based on._


	30. Ultimate Destruction

**Ultimate Destruction**

A black helicopter followed Bowser as he tore through the streets, knocking aside everything in his way. "Mad Turtle is on the move, Control. Suggesting we move ahead with Operation Turtle Soup."

Moments later, two stealth ships flew out of the sky, arming their Giras. "Control, this is Angel Squadron. We are A-ok for a combat run." Bowser was smacking a bus out of his way when the missiles suddenly blew up on his shell. He grunted and turned to see the threat. The stealth ships made sure to stay relatively high. As more Giras exploded on or near him, Bowser crouched slightly. Suddenly, he leapt high into the air and landed on the roof of a medium-sized building. As the stealth ships made another fly-by, he jumped straight onto one and kicked it into the other, destroying both at once. He roared in triumph and hopped back down to the street, making a small crater where he landed.

"Let's see those hands go up, big guy!" a Death Cap soldier said, aiming a Super Scope at him. There were five other soldiers similarly equipped. He smacked away the nearest soldier but grunted as several fully charged plasma blasts hit him from all sides. He made a break for it, ramming through a soldier in his way. There was no chance of any of them managing to match his speed. A military truck swerved out of the way, but he grabbed it by its rear bumper and tossed it at the helicopter following him. It went down in flames. He continued his sprint, leaving his footprints in the asphalt as every panicked driver he came across wildly swerved out of the way. As more soldiers continued to get in the way, he simply ran through them and continued toward a building that looked like a yellow mushroom with a thunderbolt as its symbol.

"_Destroy…"_ a set of voices in his mind said. He charged straight into the building, punching it twice before the wall gave way. He ran inside and found a generator being powered by Lil' Sparkies. The glowing orbs of electricity didn't seem to pay him much mind. He grabbed onto the generator, ripped it out of the ground, and tossed it into another wall. As he went outside, the lights flickered off on buildings for blocks.

A soldier hunkering behind a dumpster barked into his radio. "He's busted up the blasted generator! We need choppers, Control! He's too fast for our ground units! Where the heck is our armored support?"

Bowser knocked away the dumpster, and picked up the puny Death Cap, while the person on his radio responded. "On their way, sir. All units, be on the lookout for King Bowser Koopa. He is wanted, dead or alive, for destruction of property, crimes against mushroom kind, and serial kidnapping. Suspect is currently in downtown Mushroom City, eastern district. Suspect is considered armed and extremely dangerous. Maximum firepower is recommended." Bowser chuckled as the soldier squirmed and tossed him into a car. Then, Bowser began his sprint through the city to cause as much destruction as possible.

* * *

As Peach and Zelda sprinted along the sidewalk, they noticed the lights go out behind them. They also noticed that Ganondorf was right behind them in the air. He smiled when he saw the fear on their faces. Zelda took Peach's hand and disappeared with her. Ganondorf stopped mid-flight, now frowning. He looked around, ignoring the many Toads staring curiously at him.

"You can't hide, Zelda," he called out, balling his fists. The Triforce emblems began to glow. He could sense her nearby. As he neared an alley, a ray of light suddenly blasted into him. He flinched only for a second, before diving into the alley. He looked up to see Zelda wall-jumping her way upwards. Peach stood in front of him and slapped him. When she tried it again, he took her by her arm and threw her straight at Zelda. As soon as she touched Zelda, they both disappeared again.

"Hands where I can see them!" a Death Cap soldier said, entering the alley with his Super Scope ready.

"Gladly," Ganondorf said, raising both hands. A large orb of purple energy collected and he blasted it straight into the Death Cap, launching him across the street. Ganondorf flew up into the air to continue his pursuit. Unfortunately for him, his Triforce emblems began to fade, even as he frantically flew around to find a signal. He growled angrily when they both stopped glowing at all.

He began to hear more explosions and gunshots in the distance. Suddenly, he saw Bowser land in the middle of the street thunderously, only to leap off into the sky again. He was rather surprised by how high the turtle could jump. In his wake, there were flurries of plasma shots, Giras, and a few laser shots. Moments later, frustrated soldiers jogged after him. As soon as one of them glanced at the Gerudo King, they were all blasted away.

"Mr. Dragmire!" a voice called over his earpiece.

"What is it? Who is this?"

"Team Alpha of the Giga Troop," the voice replied. "Sir, King Bowser is destroying everything in his path, even us! Something's wrong with him. Could you give us a hand?"

"It's none of my concern," Ganondorf sneered. "If he wants to destroy this city, it's fine by me. As long as I get my last piece of the Triforce…"

"But sir! Isn't that last piece with Zelda? What if she gets in his way? There's no telling what he'll do to her…"

Ganondorf scowled. "I'd suggest you stay out of his way… I'll make sure he doesn't destroy her."

* * *

Bowser felt the sting of the small blasts from the Light Guns that snipers on rooftops were firing. Added to that were the helicopters stalking him and taking their laser shots whenever they could. As he came to an intersection, he encountered three strange looking tanks. They were all light gray with blue fins sticking out near the sides. One fired what appeared to be a high-powered laser blast. The blast knocked Bowser clear off his feet, but he caught himself and charged forward. Dodging the blasts from the other two tanks, he grabbed the barrel of the first tank and lifted it up. After swinging it into the ground on its roof, he began to swing the tank around in a spinning motion, before letting it fly straight into one of the others, shattering both. As he approached the remaining tank, the driver floored it and rammed Bowser aside. Bowser regained his footing and began to pound on the tank. Finally, he ripped off the top of it, exposing the three soldiers inside.

"For heaven's sake, I'm beggin' ya!" one of them said to him, as Bowser lifted up the tank. "No!" Bowser smashed it straight into the nearest building. Then, the helicopters closed in on him. He used the wreckage of the tank body to deflect most of the harm.

"We've got you surrounded, Koopa," someone said over a megaphone. "There's no escape." In response, Bowser tossed the wreckage at the helicopter, and dug his claws into the building. With a thrust of his arms, he went skyward. When his ascent slowed, he managed to run up the side of the building a short distance before digging his claws in. He leapt onto the rooftop, only to be greeted by soldiers and more helicopters. As they all unloaded on him, he jumped from the building and landed on another one. He repeated his rooftop hopping until he grew tired of taking stray fire from the annoying machines. He belched out a jet of fire and incinerated three helicopters at once.

He roared out to the city to prove his dominance atop the building. A gray blur suddenly knocked him right off the rooftop and he plummeted all the way to the streets, falling onto a tractor-trailer. He got to his feet and saw what had hit him. There were two of them. They looked like humanoid mechs, but were about the same size as him. They had small boosters on their backs and heads that looked like the caps mushroom people wore. On their chests, there were small, short barrels or cannons, obviously capable of shooting something.

"Let's see how you handle these!" one of the pilots said, landing in front of him. While this one strafed around him with its fists up, the other stayed in the air, peppering Bowser with needle-like laser shots. Bowser took a big swing at the mech in front of him, but it backed just out of his range and caught him in the jaw with a dashing punch. The surprisingly powerful blow sent Bowser back into the building behind him. He got up and charged the mech, punching it into the other building. Then, he picked it up and tossed it into the airborne one.

"He might be giving us a little trouble," the other one said, stabilizing itself. It dived down toward Bowser, but he grabbed it and pounded it into the building behind him. The building began to spew dust as the cracks grew larger and larger "He's gonna take down the whole building!"

The other mech flew in to stop him. "Hold on, son! Hold on!" It grabbed Bowser, punched him several times, and did a bear hug as it fired its larger cannons into him at point-blank range. After tossing Bowser away, the turtle ripped a lamppost out of the sidewalk and skewered the offending mech against the building. As the other mech got up and was preparing to attack, Bowser jumped and headbutted it, flooring it instantly. When it began to stir, Bowser ran up the wall and came back down onto it in an elbow drop that sent cracks through the ground.

"I need a medic!" the pilot yelled as the mech struggled to move and finally lay still. Bowser turned to the other mech, still struggling to free itself. He reared his head back and slammed it straight into the mech and the building at once. The wall shattered and the building finally began to collapse into the ground, kicking up dust for blocks.

"_Smash…"_ he heard a voice say as he turned away from the wreckage.

"Target has been located." More mechs flew in to apprehend him, but he leapt off into the sky. "Control, we need more support."

"Negative, soldier. Heavier assault tactics will result in high collateral damage of public property and increased civilian casualties."

"If we let him go like he is, he'll just destroy the city and everyone in it. He just took out an office building."

"Roger that. Just try to keep him occupied a little longer while the area is being evacuated. If you can, lure him into the central district."

"Roger that." The mechs flew off after him, firing off their laser blasts.

He began to climb up a building, but leapt to a nearby one. When he happened to see a gas station down below, he jumped from his current building and did a ground pound right on top of it, annihilating the gas tanks and anything in the vicinity. He did not seem to be affected by the explosion itself at all. When the mechs came after him, along with a few helicopters, he once again began to run down the street. When a mech dropped down in front of him, he grabbed it while continuing his stride. Eventually, he made a giant leap and began to bounce on the mech in a series of piledrivers.

"I could use some help over here!" Once the mech was in flames, Bowser threw the mech at a stray Giga Koopa that was running by. A mech suddenly rocketed into him from behind. As he jumped to fight back at it, another mech flew at him from behind. This one grabbed him and tossed him to the other one, which smacked him straight back down into the street. The helicopters began to fire away their Giras. Bowser leapt into the air and grabbed onto it. As the helicopter spun downward, Bowser blew another jet of flame at the approaching mechs. When they were forced to back away, Bowser leapt to the next nearest helicopter and sent it into a similar death spiral. He then hopped from that one onto a mech, crushing it beneath him when they landed.

More tanks rolled in as more Giga Koopas ran for their lives. Bowser was blasted back and forth by the repeated heavy laser cannons, only angering him further. The mechs landed alongside the tanks, firing their lasers at them.

"He's losing it!" one of the pilots said warningly, as Bowser began to cry out in rage, glowing with radical images of stars shooting off his form. "He's going crazy!" He jumped high into the air, flipped into a ground pound, and hit the ground in the same spot with deadly force. A shockwave of star energy spread out all around him, reducing everything around him to scrap, and taking down four buildings at once.

He suddenly heard the sounds of twisting metal, breaking glass, and small crashes that were not of his doing. He even heard loud footsteps that seemed to be jogging. In the dark smog around him, he saw a mech that completely dwarfed him step into the newly made clearing. Unlike the other ones, it looked exactly like a giant mechanical Death Cap.

He heard a voice come from the mech. "Gigabuster Destroyer Mech reporting for duty! Alright team, let's show this chump what it means to mess with the Death Cap Army!"

"All systems go. You are clear for approach."

"_Kill…"

* * *

_

"What's going on down there?" Daisy asked, looking over the star-like fencing of Rainbow Road with other members of the former audience. She saw fire and smoke rising all over a dark part of the city, seeing helicopters everywhere. She could hear the whine of sirens blaring throughout the city. In the dark part of the city, she saw constant explosions and could even see taller buildings collapsing.

"I knew I shouldn't have let Peach and Zelda go down there," Geno said, staying focused on his two temporary prisoners. Morel and Drow sat in front of him, both in power-restraints, while he had his Star Guns aimed at them. Both had annoyed looks on their faces.

They were all waiting for transport ships to pick them up, though the situation down below was delaying that.

"Why are you pointing those things at us?" Drow asked.

"Just a safety measure," Geno replied. "Even with those restraints, I'm trying not underestimate you."

Daisy added, "After what you two tried to pull, you're lucky we're only doing this much. Now you just have someone to hide behind."

"What _are_ you going on about?" Drow asked.

"Those pregnancy tests I had you take were right," Daisy smiled. "Looks like being sluts didn't turn out so well, did it?"

"We did it on purpose, you twit."

"And we're not hiding behind them," Morel added. "This was a secret a few minutes ago. We weren't expecting Smiley to be that much of an jerk."

"Well, you thought wrong," Daisy taunted them. "We got you both now. With those bracelets on, you're ain't going nowhere."

"Do you really think these are that special?" Morel asked.

"If anything, they've strengthened us," Drow said. "We train with these sorts of devices. Did you really think we were this good from the start?"

"Can't be that good if you're stuck here like this," Daisy stuck her tongue out.

Both sneered and they suddenly disappeared and reappeared on a rather distant section of the road. They removed the restraints and disappeared once again.

"No way!"

"Well," Geno sighed, putting away his guns, "at least they stopped wasting my time." He walked to the side of the road and put one foot on the fence.

"What do you think you're doing?" Daisy asked. "I know you're totally awesome and everything, but you're not invincible."

"Not yet," Geno said, watching for nearby stars. When one falling star flew towards the city, Geno leapt off the fence toward the star. Daisy watched, impressed, as Geno fell closer to the star, grabbing it, and turning invincible.

She considered trying a similar stunt, but thought better of it. "Daisy ain't _that_ crazy."

* * *

"I've got a _crash and burn,_ Control, a crash and burn!" the pilot of the GDM said as the cap part of the mech crumbled off in flames. As Bowser leapt onto the face area, bashing away at it with his fists and head, the pilot exclaimed in frustration, "Aww, I don't believe this! Get 'em off!" Before it could reach and grab him, he jumped off and burned it with his flame breath. It took the opportunity to grab him, punch him into the ground, and tossed him into a building that had not fallen yet. As Bowser picked up a car and prepared to throw it, the GDM fired a pair of high-speed Bullet Bills directly into him, blasting him through the building.

"Alright team, that's what I'm talking about! Let's play for the scoreboard."

"Thrusters at max," another team member said as the GDM rose into the air and quickly approached Bowser. He leapt out of the hole with a propane tank and smashed it directly into the airborne mech. The mech fell through the explosion, knocking Bowser away once again. It fired off its Bullet Bills again, but Bowser punched them straight back, blowing away the GDM.

"We're goin' down! Hope you can take it from here, Control!"

Bowser pounded away at the defeated mech before spotting someone out of the corner of his eye. Among the fleeing citizens and his own minions, he saw Peach running with Zelda. He charged straight after them.

"He's seen us!" Peach said to Zelda.

"Coming down here was not a good idea!" Zelda complained. "First Ganondorf, now this lunatic."

Bowser suddenly dropped down in front of them. He took a deep breath. Zelda instantly put up her shield at maximum power, staring him in the face. She could see the rage in his eyes through the fire. She could also see that it wasn't all just him. Her shield was strong enough to take his molten breath unharmed. Afterward, Zelda grabbed him with her telekinesis. Before he could break free, she tossed him behind a few wrecked cars. She then took Peach's hand and used the same technique she used against Ganondorf: random, frequent teleporting. It was enough to get them away from Bowser, even if it was only a short distance. They ended up on the rooftop of a short building with plenty of transformers and air conditioners to hide among.

"Peach, something's affecting him… I would dare say he's fighting himself on the inside."

"Fighting himself? You mean something's been possessing him and now it's trying to take complete control?"

"Well, I wouldn't say all that, but… Peach, where are you going?" Peach began to run back towards where Bowser was. She looked over the side of the building, seeing him rip apart every car nearby.

"Bowser!" Peach called out to him. "I know that something's wrong and you need help." Zelda tried to pull her back, but Peach resisted. "Let us help you. This isn't who you're supposed to be." Bowser bared his teeth but stared at her. "I miss the old Bowser. I liked the old Bowser much more than this monster. Please, let's just put everything behind us and get back to normal." Peach looked into Bowser's fiery red eyes. He looked into her gentle blue eyes. For a moment, they seemed to have made a connection. He had calmed. It did not last long, as multiple lights beamed down on them from above. He roared at her and threw a wrecked car. The car went sailing over the building.

All eyes suddenly turned skyward as thrust could be heard from the source of the lights. It was a gigantic mech at least three times the size of the GDM. Oddly, it was also crafted in the image of Mario, though with heavy armaments and cannons. The lights were coming from its eyes and the buttons on its overalls. It held the thrown car in its hand and tossed it back at Bowser, who blew it up with his flame breath. The voice of the Death Cap commander blared over a speaker from the mech. "You're wasting your breath, Toadstool! There's only one thing that creature understands: brute force."

"Commander," a voice radioed in from a helicopter above as transport ships lifted off all around. "All civilians in the area have been evacuated. You're all clear, sir."

"I'm gonna' grind you into the dust, Koopa," the commander said as the Mario mech's signature M on its hat glowed. It landed and began its calm approach toward Bowser. Bowser made a leaping punch, but was deflected by a gray energy shield and knocked away like a fly. He was then pounded into the ground by both fists, creating a crater in the ground.

"No!" Peach squealed. "I don't want it like this! Please, don't kill him!"

"We have to get out of here, Peach," Zelda said, taking her hand. She had no idea why none of the transports had picked them up, but they had to make a run for it. The sheer tremors from the Mario mech's attacks were damaging the building. They jumped over an alley to another building.

When the Mario mech lifted its foot to stomp on Bowser in the center of the crater, Bowser got to his feet and used his sheer strength to keep the metal boot from crushing him. He off-balanced it just enough to get away and leapt toward Peach and Zelda.

Bowser nearly landed on them as he jumped by. Through the smoke behind them, they saw something glowing red and heard the commander's voice. "Here's something from the boys at the high-energy lab!" A red laser pulsated straight for Bowser, boring through any buildings in its way. Zelda raised her shield as it came dangerously close to them, but it pierced her shield just by glancing it. The building they were on soon began to rumble and topple. They leapt off the building and rolled along the street as the beam continued overhead.

"Are you trying to kill us?!" Zelda yelled out at the mech.

"You shouldn't be out here in the first place, ladies," the commander said, as the red laser stopped firing out of the M on the hat. Instead, the buttons on its overalls began to fire off its smaller laser shots and Giras. The mech suddenly lifted off into the air and flew by Peach and Zelda to get closer to Bowser.

The turtle was recuperating himself behind a building that was heavily damaged and in flames, but still able to stand. Stardust was shooting off of him as he healed himself. He noticed many tanks beginning to roll into the area. When he saw the Mario mech directly above him, he leapt out of the way before it could land on him. He ran straight for the nearest tank down the street.

"Death from above, Koopa," the Commander said. "Death from above." The Mario mech shot large homing Bombshell Bills out of its hands. Bowser did his best to shake them, but the bronze-colored projectiles managed to track him and explode on him, sending him skyward. He regained himself and landed on top of the tank, slightly dazed. He then stepped down in front of the tank and growled at it.

"He's got us!" the driver of the tank shouted as Bowser grabbed the barrel and swung the tank around.

"Our men are in there!" the Commander yelled, firing more Giras. Bowser let the tank fly straight into the mech. Even though the mech tried to raise its shield, the tank went right through it as if it wasn't there and exploded against the mech's chest, making the mech stumble back a few steps. "Taking heavy damage! You're gonna pay for that, you monster!" As it fired more Giras into Bowser from its remaining cannons, the turtle made another break for it, jumping over the mech. It grabbed Zelda and Peach in both hands and continued running with them.

"Put us down!" Zelda yelled, struggling against his iron grip.

"Bowser, look out!" Peach yelled as she saw more homing Bombshell Bills. Bowser turned around and used his fire breath to blow up the missiles before they could reach him.

"Where are you taking us?" Zelda demanded. They were approaching another tank. Bowser threw Zelda straight at it. She screamed all the way until she hit the metal with a clang. Bowser dodged a blast from it and grabbed the barrel. He threw Peach at the Mario mech as a distraction and then followed up with the tank. Peach stopped herself in midair before she hit the mech and floated out of the way to dodge the incoming tank. The resulting explosion knocked her away though. Fortunately, she landed on a crumbling building. She rode it most of the way down and jumped off before it completely collapsed. She stood between Bowser and the crumbling Mario mech.

"Get this thing back in the fight!" the Commander yelled. "We have to finish Koopa now! That's an order!"

"I've got all systems failure!" another person said. The mech fell to its knees and stopped moving.

Bowser gazed at Peach. He readied his claws and stepped toward her. She stepped back cautiously. He saw a figure in blue run around the wrecked mech and towards them. It was Geno. He stood in front of Peach and fired his Geno Beam. It smashed into Bowser, who resisted it.

"Peach, find Zelda and get out of here!" Geno yelled as he focused on keeping up his beam. Bowser slowly moved closer to him, despite the beam. Peach ran around Bowser and to Zelda, who was lying unconscious behind him. When Bowser reached Geno, he ripped the doll's arm off. When Geno used his other arm to fire his star bullets into his face, Bowser picked him up and chucked him over a building. Bowser turned back to Peach and Zelda. He took a deep breath, but was punched out by Ganondorf.

"I need her alive, remember?" Ganondorf said. "Now go on and wreck the rest of the city. Leave her to me." Bowser growled and leapt to stomp on him. Ganondorf tackled him in the air, and slammed him into the head of the Mario mech hard enough to create a sizeable dent. Then, with a grunt, he kicked off the wreckage and slammed Bowser into the ground. He punched Bowser repeatedly, strafing quickly, and catching the turtle repeatedly off guard. Bowser suddenly retreated into his shell and spun in place, knocking Ganondorf back. They continued their brawl, trading blows. Bowser's knocked Ganondorf around more, but Ganondorf was landing more strikes overall.

"Oh, Zelda," Peach said, gently slapping her cheek. "You have to wake up."

"_Peach, can you hear me?"_ Zelda's voice said telepathically. "_Get us as far away from here as possible. You don't have to worry about Bowser. I can already sense what's going on inside him. Majora's Mask only opened up something that was already lurking deep inside him. But in a way, you're already helping him resist the evil."_


	31. The Mind of Evil

**The Mind of Evil**

"Bowser," a monstrous voice said in the darkness. "I'm coming for you."

"This can't be happening to me," Bowser said. "Just go away!"

"My darling boy, kings aren't supposed to fear…revolution."

Kamek's voice spoke, "The transformation doesn't have to be a curse."

Kammy's voice added, "It can be a blessing…if you choose it."

Peach's voice spoke up, "You're addicted to the power. Even your own children are afraid of you. You're becoming…a devil."

"No!" Bowser said. "It's not like that! I promise!"

"He has no reason to be afraid of me," the monstrous voice said. "Not when we have _this_ kind of power. We're gonna take over the whole world, Bowser. With this kind of power, who's to stop us? Mario's out of the picture; Peach ain't far behind."

"I don't want power!" Bowser yelled. "I want my life back! The way things were before! I kidnap Peach, she screams her head off, Mario comes to save her, and we fight."

"And'a then you lose-a!" Mario's voice added.

The monster spoke, "The door's been opened for me, Bowser. Did you really think I'd let you close it on me?" A dark figure could be seen. It's silhouette had numerous, razor sharp spikes on a round, but jagged shell. It had hulking arms and bulging muscles. A long, thick, armored tail slinked about showing off its spikes. "This brat you care so much about has rejected and persecuted you for so long. Why put up with that…when we can tear her into a billion pieces?"

"What are you?" Bowser and Peach asked in a single voice.

"I am your very essence, the ultimate…you." A pale light shined on it. It was much more demonic version of Bowser. "I'm the Devil."

"That's a lie!" Peach yelled.

An inferno lit the darkness. On an island of volcanic rock in a sea of fire and lava, there stood Peach and the demonic Devil Bowser. All around the edges, there were different pieces of Bowser's mind: Mario the antagonist, Baby Bowser the inner child, his "parental figure" Kamek, and the self-image of Bowser.

Devil Bowser looked down at the puny Princess Peach standing before him. He was so massive that each of his fingers were only slightly smaller than Peach herself. "You can't win, Peach. You're just a fractured piece of Bowser's psyche, just a scared little girl crying out to be loved. And you're afraid of me, as you should be, because I'm going to erase you from his mind."

"I'm not afraid of you, Devil," Peach said adamantly. "The love Bowser and I have for one another is unstoppable. Why else do you think he keeps coming back for me?"

"And yet you always cheer for that fat plumber," the devil said, steam escaping from his mouth.

"Bowser knows that I'm just playing hard to get. I don't scream in fear, but for joy. You're the only thing standing in the way of our happiness. Then, it's just a matter of time before he defeats Mario _the right way_ and takes me to be his loving wife."

"As I said, you are a fragment that no longer serves any purpose. The real Peach has no interest in us. For jading poor Bowser…she must die. And I'll start by ridding him of this delusion that you represent." Liquid flames began to drip out of his jaws as he arched back.

Peach dived between his legs as he torched the spot where she had stood. She was not fast enough, as he smacked her away with a whip of his tail. She got to her feet and said, "The only reason you're free is because of that mask."

"It was inevitable. Don't blame the mask for the darkness in your mind, Bowser." He stomped closer to her. She jumped onto his snout and began to smack his face. He laughed and whipped his head upward. She was sent into the air and he opened his jaws. She stayed aloft and landed several feet away. Once again, he ambled toward her.

"You're not even trying," Peach sneered.

"I'd rather toy with you first," he said, walking toward the center of the island. He sank into a self-made crater up to his chest. "Come and get me!" he laughed. From there, he slowly spat massive fireballs at her. When she moved to the side, she found that they were able to home in on her, so she broke into a run around him. Still, they managed to keep a bead on her. She turned to run straight toward Devil Bowser and jumped over him. The fireballs could not compensate for the sudden turn and dissipated.

She saw that there were three pieces of Majora's Mask making up parts of the floor around Devil Bowser. There was the bottom half of the mask on one end, the left eye on another end, and the right eye on another end. "You're still relying on the mask, aren't you?"

He answered with what appeared to be a blue fireball. She dived out of the way just before it could hit her, though she felt it carry a frigid breeze behind it. She immediately ran to one of the pieces of the mask and ground-pounded directly on it.

"That hurts!" Majora yelled, blinking. She jumped higher and attempted a heavier ground-pound. Devil Bowser snapped at her, catching her in his mouth before she could hit. She struggled to hold his jaws open, but managed to throw herself out before they slammed shut. She jumped over the fragment again. When Bowser snapped at her, she kicked off of his snout and flipped into a hip drop.

"Aaah!" Majora screeched, filling the crater with a jet of flames as the piece shattered. Devil Bowser winced and jumped out of the crater, landing so thunderously that the island tilted slightly in the sea of fire and Peach nearly fell over.

"Why do you persecute me?!" Devil Bowser bellowed.

"Because I hate you!"

"I love you," the images of Mario and Bowser said to Peach. She was distracted just long enough for Devil Bowser to grab her and slam her into the ground. The sheer force made it difficult to get up. He took it a step further and used a full body slam. Feeling something crack underneath himself, he stood up and kicked her unmoving body away.

"Won't you join me, Bowser?" Devil Bowser guffawed, casually hopping back into the crater.

"He's staying with me…" Peach rasped, slowly getting up. "Bowser would never hurt me."

"Pain is good for you, my dear!" Devil Bowser said, belching out a fireball. Peach was bowled over by it, but quickly got to her feet. She put her hand over her heart and caught her breath. A pink aura in the shape of a heart came over her and she was partially healed.

"I can heal, remember? It will come in handy when the children get scrapes and bruises."

"That's my Peach!" Bowser said.

"You ungrateful beast!" Devil Bowser yelled. "Let go of this delusion and face the facts!" He raised his hands and white, bony spikes like those on his shell began to jut out of the volcanic earth. Peach dodged as best as she could, though they seemed to be predicting where she was going. She stopped just as one rose up before her. She ran back to a previous spike and managed to run up the side of it before jumping off. She took out a Psych Bomb and lobbed it down to the eyes of Majora in the ground.

"Knock it off!" Majora complained. "You're hurting me!" Peach did a ground pound straight onto the left eye, shattering it. Unfortunately, Devil Bowser belched out a blue flame at point-blank range. She was frozen in a chunk of solid ice. Devil Bowser clapped his hands over her, shattering the ice and clamping her between his paws.

"You're mine, Peach!"

"Agh!" she cried. "Let me go, you beast!"

As she struggled in futility, Devil Bowser growled, "I know thee. I have found thee. And I will not let thee go. Cool line, huh?"

"You Devil!" Peach screamed. "You know nothing about me! You'll never have me! And there's nothing _cool_ about you!" She spat in his face. He growled and bit down on her head. He could feel her screaming in his mouth as he pulled his hands away to tear her head off. To his disappointment, he her head, still connected to her neck, slid out of a small gap in his sharp fangs, though she seemed to be in shock from the pain.

"Pretty little girl," he said, stroking her face and hair with a claw. "That would have maimed the real Peach. And yet in little Bowser's mind, your beauty is flawless. Not a scratch. Not a drop of blood."

"Peach is pwetty," Baby Bowser said from the sidelines.

"That she is, child," Devil Bowser nodded. "But a pretty face should not have so much presence here," he said, squeezing her frail body agitatedly.

"Bowser loves me," Peach murmured. "That is why you cannot destroy me. You may have pushed his other selves to the very fringes of his mind, but look at me. I'm right here at the center with you."

Devil Bowser was startled by the truth in her words and threw her away. The heart aura came over her and she caught herself before she touched the lava beyond the island. When she landed at the edge, she fell to one knee from exhaustion.

"Does it hurt so very much?" Devil Bowser laughed.

"If there's one thing I don't like," Peach began angrily, "it's husbands who don't know how to treat their wives."

Devil Bowser saw her glancing at the last piece of Majora between them. He began to summon the spikes, but she was able to avoid them. When he spat fireballs of both varieties, she either dodged them or used the spikes as cover. When he saw bombs flying straight at the last eye of Majora, he jumped out of his crater and stood over it to shield it from most of the explosions' power.

"I can't go out like this," Majora seethed. Tentacles reached up out of the ground and began to wrap around Devil Bowser. Eventually the mask formed and it tried to slide over his face.

"I don't need you anymore," Devil Bowser said, grabbing the mask and ripping it away from himself effortlessly. "You aren't worth the trouble." He tossed it like a frisbee beyond the island and incinerated it with his molten breath, leaving any remains to fall into the lava. Then, he looked over to Peach and the other parts of his mind. "That is the fate of all who stand against me."

"Don't threaten them," Peach said as the spikes began to retreat back into the ground. "This is between you and me. And without that mask, I'm willing to bet you're much weaker now."

Bowser took a deep breath. To her surprise, he blew the flames into the air to flutter down. "I want to see you suffer. I want you to beg for mercy. I want you to scream, just like you always scream whenever we capture you."

"That won't be happening," Peach glared, moving to what seemed to be an open space in the blanket of flames. "You don't know much about pleasing a girl, do you?"

"It's a shame Bowser never ravaged you when he had all those chances. To tear you and break you would bring me such joy. I think I may try it on the real Peach."

"You'll never get the chance," Peach said, getting angrier. "You may be bigger and badder, but you're not stronger than me. When it comes to Bowser's inspiration, besides his kids, this," she pointed to herself, "is the ultimate inspiration. This is the ultimate power."

"Goodbye, Peach," Devil Bowser waved as he prepared to blow another jet of flames, while the blanket of fire was close to her level.

" If there's one thing that the real Bowser knows about me, it's to never get me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry." He blew a cloud of fire over her and the blanket came down.

"Now, there's no one to stop me!" Devil Bowser roared.

"Argh!" Peach growled as she created her own aura of fire. She floated in the air mystically.

"This…can't be!" Devil Bowser balked. He took another deep breath and blew blue flames directly into her, beginning to chip away at her previously flawless dress.

"Argh!" Peach screamed in both pain in anger. Her voice became somewhat otherworldly, with a dual tone behind it. "I told you. This is the ultimate power!" As the Devil continued to blow flames over her, her flames turned pink. She grabbed her head in agony as the blue flames began to cover her. Suddenly, she surged headfirst through the air like a pink missile and slammed into Devil Bowser's forehead with tremendous force, nearly knocking him on his back. She, however, bounced back, flipping through the air until she landed on her unsteady feet. Her dress was in shreds, now looking more like a long skirt with high splits in it and a tube top.

"No!" Devil Bowser said falling onto his chest. He groaned as his arms struggled to lift his weight. "How? You're not strong enough… You're just a child!"

"I knew you were afraid of me," Peach panted, falling to her knees and holding her head.

"You haven't won, you little brat! That mask let me out early. The door hasn't been shut on me yet. You've only delayed the inevitable. You haven't gotten rid of me for long. When the real Peach crosses paths with me again, it's the end of her and you. It's only a matter of time!"

"I may not have the strength to destroy you," Peach panted, "but the real Peach will. She'll destroy you," she said, gazing at the other parts of Bowser's mind. "Even that fat plumber Mario will help us."

* * *

The sheer power being given off from Bowser and Ganondorf was sending shockwaves throughout the city. Ganondorf had stopped sandbagging and was giving everything short of his full effort. Bowser responded in kind.

Bowser caught the Gerudo in his claws and tossed him into the burning wreckage of a tractor-trailer. He pounced on Ganondorf, leapt up and ran up a short building and flipped into an elbow drop. Ganondorf moved out of the way as the car was annihilated and a crater was made in the ground.

Ganondorf flew at Bowser, uppercutting him with a punch of dark energy. He grabbed onto his tail and slammed him on the ground repeatedly. He bounced him off the nearby building and jumped to grab him. He electrocuted Bowser and blew him away with a blast of dark energy. He stayed aloft in midair to send a flurry of magic bolts straight at the Koopa King. When the smoke cleared, Bowser leapt out with gnashing teeth. He bit on Ganondorf's arm, piercing the gaunlet, but Ganondorf flew up in the air and came back down on Bowser. Bowser blew flames that even the sorcerer could not pass through unharmed.

He passed through them anyway to send a flying punch to Bowser's nose. Bowser grabbed him, tossed him over his shoulder, and then threw himself back to catch him with his spikes. When he missed, he yanked himself out of the ground and to his feet while Ganondorf flew at him again. They locked arms, both charging their own energies. Suddenly, Bowser blinked and seemed dazed. Ganondorf took advantage and flipped him over his shoulder onto the ground. Standing on top of Bowser, he charged his energy and summoned his broadsword. Before he could plunge it into Bowser's mouth, the Koopa King caught the blade between his palms.

"You can stop now," Bowser said calmly, if somewhat irritated.

"Give me one reason why I should," Ganondorf said, ready to unleash his full power.

"How about three?" Bowser said. "One, I've got my senses back. Two, Peach and Zelda have gotten away. Three, them." He pointed skyward. More military vehicles were coming in, including tanks that were hovering down.

"You should know that you scared away your own soldiers," Ganondorf said, stepping away from him and watching the skies.

"Par for the course," Bowser smiled with a shrug, scratching at the air. "Hmph. Looks like no portals can be opened here."

"Then, we'll just have to leave the hard way," Ganondorf said, taking flight.

"Don't let them escape!" the Commander blared over all frequencies. "This is a Code Black Alert!"

Three helicopters came in first, firing off Giras and laser shots. Ganondorf swept his hand and released a flurry of energy balls, blowing them all out of the sky. He then surged forth through the air. Meanwhile, Bowser ran through the streets, plowing through any tanks that got in his way. When they began landing too many hits with laser blasts for his taste, he began making large bounds.

"Target acquired!" A stealth ship appeared in front of him and blasted Giras right in his face. After crashing back down to the earth, he attempted a jump and strike it, but it rolled out of the way. "Avoid, Pattern Delta!" It was soon destroyed by a blast from Ganondorf.

"Missiles at the ready." A truck with a Bullet Bill Blaster mounted on it rolled from around a corner and fired a single Bombshell Bill that cruised toward Bowser. He caught it with his hand and pitched it back at the truck. "Coming back at us!" The explosion annihilated the truck instantly. Bowser picked up the Blaster and carried it along with him. He was able to take out other trucks long before they could fire on him. The Bombshell Bills were even powerful enough to destroy tanks in one hit.

"What's the matter with you people?" the Commander fumed. "If I wanted to lose this much ground, I would've sent in a bunch of Toads!"

Both Bowser and Ganondorf had to stop as they reached a gray barrier. Ganondorf dealt with the aircraft, while Bowser missile-sniped the tanks and Blaster trucks. It was evident that they were the only ones being affected by the barrier. Everything else, except Ganondorf's magic, could pass through the barrier effortlessly.

"It's powered by white magic," Ganondorf called down to him. "It must have a source somewhere."

Bowser noticed the two identical buildings just on the other side of the shield. Ignoring the spray of laser being shot at him, he fired multiple missiles at the foundation of one of the buildings. When the building finally came down, the shield flickered, but remained on.

"He's spotted the shield generators!" the Commander said. "Aim for the big one! It's getting hot down there!" Suddenly, all the aircraft began to bypass Ganondorf and bombed Bowser, eventually destroying the Blaster.

Bowser picked up the wreckage from a tank and used it to shield himself from the barrage of missiles and laser. "Hey, Ganon! It's your turn!"

"Hmph." Ganondorf held the power he had collected in his fist. He watched as the helicopters and stealth ships buzzed about Bowser like annoying flies. He looked at the remaining building. As a test, he fired a small blast of energy. It bounced right off the shield. He smirked. He pulled his purple, glowing fist back and slammed it straight into the shield. The shock of his Warlock Punch reached the building and blew off a chunk of the bottom of the building. The shield went down instantly, but with its structural integrity gone, the building fell into another building, creating a domino effect. Explosions could be heard all around as aircraft were caught in the debris and gas lines went off.

"This is exactly why I wanted your help," Bowser called up to him, laughing right along with him.

"Ha, ha, ha! They don't know who they're dealing with!"

A soldier screamed over the radio, "Commander, we're receiving massive casualties! The line is broken!"

"My leg!" another soldier cried. "It's trapped!"

"They're tearing us apart!"

"Get some medics down there! Angel Squadron?!"

As Bowser and Ganondorf ran ahead, despite the aircraft still orbiting them. "Unable to prevent enemy escape. Following them into the outskirts." Bowser and Ganondorf could feel their powers no longer being limited. Bowser threw the tank wreckage he had been using as a shield into a stealth ship and it collided into a helicopter. The other stealth ship flew high into the sky and began to drop bombs as it dived back down.

As it made direct hits on him and blew away the street and a nearby building, the pilot reported, "That is a confirmed hit. Bowser is a Class 5 goodbye, Control." As it skimmed along the surface of the smoke cloud and pulled up, the pilot noticed that the ship had stopped moving. "What the? He's onboard! Control, we're in trouble! Requesting assistance!" Bowser tossed the ship into the remaining helicopter, destroying the rest of his immediate resistance.

"Ooh, I love the sound of crumpled metal and explosions!" Bowser guffawed. "You first, Ganon."

Ganondorf smirked and collected his dark energy around himself as be balled up. The already dark sky turned even darker, seemingly absorbing the light from the fires all around. "Ooooaaaagggh!" A sphere of dark energy expanded from him and blew away all the aircraft and nearby tanks left, blackening everything. Ganondorf cackled and disappeared in the darkness.

Bowser tore open a dark hole in the air and chuckled as the hull of stealth ship landed nearby, its radio still functioning. He jumped through the portal as Control yelled, "Dragmire and Koopa have escaped! Is there anyone left to pursue? Anybody?!"


	32. Clones

**Clones **

It had been some time since the disaster in Mushroom City. Deep in the Dark World, the land that connected the Mushroom World and Hyrule, was Ganon's Castle. Inside, Morel and Drow teleported in for a supposed staff meeting. Both still wore heavy clothing to hide their condition. The room they arrived in was large and circular. There was a large double-door behind them that led to the rest of the castle. There were only two other doors. The red one was being guarded by a pair of Hammer Bros. A pair of Club Moblins guarded the black one. The room was surprisingly empty beyond that, only having a red carpet on the floor.

"Hey," Morel said curiously. "Wasn't there supposed to be a meeting here?"

"His Nastiness would like a word with you," a Hammer Brother said. When Drow began to follow, he added, "Just Morel."

"Drow," a Moblin said. "You are wanted by Master Ganon." The clones gave one another a worried look and proceeded.

Morel passed by the Hammer Brothers and went through a long hallway that was guarded by Koopatrols. It was lit only by gothic torches, the usual lighting. When she pushed through the next door, she found herself in near complete darkness. She could barely see Bowser seated on the other side of the room, though she could see his fiery eyes quite clearly.

"Um, I'm here," Morel said. "Do you always hang out in the dark like this?"

"Do you know why I called you here?" Bowser asked, tapping his claws on the arm of his chair.

"…Because we lost Mushroom City?"

"Not quite, but that has something to do with it. Kammy." A purple glow formed around his old Magikoopa assistant standing next to him. She formed an image above herself. There were images of her and Drow making their deal with Smiley. Another image showed Morel and Drow conversing relatively peacefully with Zelda and Peach. One picture even showed Morel kissing Peach.

"Hmph," Kammy grunted.

"Mind explaining?" Bowser asked, leaning on his elbow.

Morel stammered, "Just…trying to earn their trust. You know, makes the betrayal all the more bitter...or sweeter…" She laughed nervously.

"And the kiss?" Kammy asked. Her glasses were so thick that Morel could only see the glass itself.

"Well, you know me, heh, heh," Morel said.

"Not so sure about that anymore," Bowser said. "You've been making friends with the enemy. More importantly, you've been messing around so much that you haven't even _tried_ to kill Peach. It's okay to play with your prey for a little while, but you've had months to get it right."

"Bowser, come on," Morel said lightheartedly. "You know these things take time. Sometimes, it just takes a little longer than expected. She's not a total pushover."

"For you, she should be," Bowser said. "Unless I'm overestimating you. Am I?"

"Hey, now. You saw my scores. I'm strong enough to beat Bolt by myself now. It doesn't get much tougher than him…well, besides you of course." She heard him growl. "I'm the best person you got under your personal control. I know you're patient enough to put up with my quirks. I'm irreplaceable."

He snapped his fingers and a door appeared between them, not connected to any wall. He beckoned Morel to follow him through it. They arrived in what appeared to be a dark elevator. An automated voice asked, "Select your destination."

"Vault 120," Bowser said, staring straight ahead.

"Please state security code."

"All your base are belong to _me_," Bowser said.

"Access granted." Morel could feel the elevator moving down quickly. She looked up at Bowser. Even though it was dark, she could tell that his skin had darkened significantly. His shell was black. His scales had turned so dark that they almost looked black. Only his mouth had any semblance of its formerly light color.

"Where are we going?" Morel asked.

"I'm just going to put you in your place," Bowser said in a surprisingly deeper, somewhat more monstrous tone. "I didn't mind that you and Drow flubbed the invasion of Sarasaland. I can even let it go that you tried to make Peach and Zelda your personal playthings in a deal with that freak." Morel held back a gasp as she realized he had seen the game show. "But when you get so full of yourself that you think I can't do without you, I have to draw the line."

The elevator opened up and she stood away from the doors as a pink light emanated from the room. She felt an instinctual fear of what was in the room before she could even see anything. The room actually had no lighting itself, except for the aquarium like glass that rounded the wall of the room. It gave off an eerie pink glow.

"Um actually, I'd rather just take my lumps and get back to work," she said quickly.

"You'll get your lumps," he growled, grabbing her hair. He began to drag her out of the elevator by her hair. "Take a look."

The fear became unbearable as she was pulled out of the elevator. She didn't even no why she was so afraid. "No, please! I'll be good!" she cried, struggling against him as he pulled her into the middle of the room. He grabbed the back of her head and slammed her face into the glass.

"Look!" She squeezed open an eye saw what was on the other side of the glass. The glass was part of a larger tank that contained Peach clones. There were dozens of them, all floating lifelessly and naked in the pink liquid. Strangely, they each seemed as if they had been frozen in a particular action, though the glass was warm. Some were smiling for no reason. Others looked as if they were reading a nonexistent book. Some were clearly frowning. A few had blank stares on. What horrified Morel the most was that all of them blinked and turned their heads to look at her, still in their own actions. They didn't swim, move their arms or legs, or change their expressions at all.

"You're not irreplaceable," Bowser growled. "I have plenty of these ready for duty, should they be needed. I can always have _your_ memories implanted into their minds. They'll be able to do just about everything you can do. All they need is some practice with their motor functions and they're ready to go. Do you know why I haven't used more of them already?" When she only whimpered, he pressed her face to the glass harder. "Do you?"

"No," she whispered.

"Because _you_ are the test run," Bowser answered. "The lab Koopas have been working out the bugs the whole time. The only thing that surprises me is that you're the only one that ever had _any_ personality, not that it's needed. Now, can you tell me why I shouldn't just replace you?"

"I have experience," Peach said desperately, closing her eyes as one clone drifted closer to the glass. "And…and…Drow would be upset if I…"

"I wouldn't worry about her if I were you," Bowser said, tossing her to the floor. "Ganon's giving her the same treatment. You might not even see her when you leave this room."

"What? Well…I…it'll take the others a while to get as strong as me. I've been working out and everything. I'm in great condition."

"Yeah, right" he said, grabbing her sweater. He tore at her clothing until she was down to her undergarments. Her stomach was only swollen enough to make her seem as if she had recently overeaten. "At first I thought you were just putting on weight, but then I saw Smiley's TV show. You did a pretty good job of hiding it, but the cat's out of the bag. I may be a reptile, but I know that you're only going to get weaker and slower until you drop off the kid. Maybe I should speed things up?" He placed a foot on her stomach and flexed his claws.

"No! Please! It won't get in the way!" she screamed, trying to lift his foot off. "I can still beat Peach and Zelda and anyone else! I'll do whatever you say! Please, just don't take it away from me!"

"So, you think you can get serious and follow orders?"

"Yes, Master! I swear it!" she sobbed. "I'll kill anyone you tell me to!"

"I'm glad we had this little talk," he said, removing his foot and taking hold of her chin. "Now, you don't have to hide it anymore." With a snap of his fingers, she wore a maternity version of Peach's royal dress. "How's that," he asked, caressing her cheek with his claws.

"Very good," she nodded, trying to calm herself.

"Good," he growled, raking his claws across her cheek, leaving red gashes. He left her on the floor and stomped back to the elevator. "Oh, and Morel. You don't have to kill anyone for a while. A battle is coming up in a few weeks. I can smell it. If Peach shows up, and I know she will, and she can get by you and you fail to kill her, I'll take care of her… And then, I'll take care of you… So feel free to visit her and chat and whatever you want to do with her until then. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," she said quietly as he stepped into the elevator and it left the Vault. As Morel healed her wound, she heard an inquisitive, girlish noise. She looked back to the glass and saw a clone with her hands and nose pressed against the glass as if she was curious about something. When Morel glared at her "sister," the eye on the opposing clone turned and gazed down at Morel's stomach, independent of the other eye. The other eye simply gazed back at her soullessly.

* * *

When Morel returned to the bedroom she and Drow shared, she found Drow sitting on the bed morosely, stroking her own throat. She was wearing a maternity version of Zelda's dress. When she noticed Morel, she perked up and smiled, despite having a black eye.

"Hey, you," Drow smiled. "How did things go? Better than for me, I hope."

Morel sat on the bed and frowned as she touched Drow's face. The eye healed and returned to normal. "They know almost everything, all because of Kammy Koopa."

"Not just her, actually," Drow said, frowning slightly as she took her hand. "Koume and Kotake have been looking out for Ganondorf. I suppose being able to teleport long distances should make me able to deliver Zelda to him easily…"

Morel suddenly hugged her and sobbed into her shoulder, "I'm glad you're alive. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"I'm glad you're alive as well," Drow said, returning the hug. "All four of us are, fortunately. I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you."

"Ganondorf didn't try anything, did he?"

"No…more of a threat," Drow sighed. "With Moblins and Lizalfos and…well, you get the picture." They sat there for a few quiet moments in each other's arms.

"Did he show you tank full of the others?" Morel asked.

Drow frowned and looked away. "Yes. All this stress isn't good for us."

"No," Morel said, looking at her. "We have something to do. Everything will almost be over soon."

"Ganondorf said that I was free to do what I wanted for a while," Drow reflected. "They're planning for something."

"She only needs Zelda to lose the Triforce of Wisom," Morel said. "We might not be able to help Zelda, but we can still help Peach. We have to warn them."

* * *

Zelda had just finished eating dinner alone in the dining room of Peach's Castle. She wasn't able to have much of a conversation with any of the Death Caps. They were serious about guard duty and wouldn't be bothered with idle chitchat. Even the Death Caps that were actually servants rather than guards did not seem much up to talking with her. The cooks simply served her food and returned to the kitchen. The butlers and maids stood by, waiting to remove any finished plates. What was most eerie was that they all wore only white and/or black clothing.

As the servants took her plates away, she exited the dining room into the lobby. She noticed all eyes turn to her briefly before the guards went about their patrols. When Zelda went to the guard in front of Peach's room, she asked, "Do you know where Peach is?"

"Inside, ma'am," he answered.

"You mean she still hasn't come out?"

"Correct. She hasn't left this room since we returned you here."

"Has she talked to anyone at all in the past two days?"

"Geno attempted to talk to her. I'm sure she is not in a talkative mood."

"All this over a silly video game?" Zelda asked. "Doesn't anyone else think this is silly?"

"Her laws, not ours. I'm sure it's a _Toad_ thing."

"Where is Geno now?"

"The library, last I saw him."

"Hmm," Zelda looked at the floor. She stepped forward and knocked on the door. "Peach? It's me, Zelda. Do you mind if I come in?" There was no answer. She attempted to open the door, but found it locked. She turned to the guard and asked, "If she hasn't come out in so long, how do you know she's still in there? She has a balcony. Suppose someone tried to hurt her or kidnap her or something."

"Suppose someone did," he answered nonchalantly.

"It's your job to guarantee her safety."

"My job is to make sure no intruders go through this door. The patrols outside are maintaining security on the castle grounds. What happens to _Mrs. Koopa_ is none of our concern." Zelda was stung by his words.

"She's fine, Zelda," Geno said, walking up to her. "I've checked on her."

"But what if…?"

"Just put your ear to the door and listen closely." Zelda did so and heard the faint sounds of gunfire, explosions, and screaming aliens. She was playing the game. "See? She's just a little out of it after what happened. If you want to try talking to her, you could just teleport inside, remember?"

* * *

Peach sat with her legs folded on her bed in the darkness, the only light coming from the television screen as she quietly gunned down hordes of zombie-like creatures. She sat in her short pink dress, staring blankly at the screen. Finally, she reached a checkpoint and yawned. She turned off the television and reached down to turn off her Xbox. She stared at the large, black, rectangular system and sighed sadly as she touched it. Once it was off, she climbed into bed and rolled onto her side. She could imagine having to face her family and subjects. As cold and callous as the Death Caps were, she knew that they didn't care at all about what she did. They wouldn't judge her. Toads _would_. She closed her eyes. She was almost too sleepy to feel the tears escaping her eyes.

She felt a finger wipe away a tear. She opened her eyes drowsily to see who it was, as she felt someone beside her in the bed. "Zelda?" she murmured.

"Shhh," she said softly, rubbing her cheek gently. "Go back to sleep. You'll feel better in the morning." As Peach relented and closed her eyes, she felt her warm lips press tenderly against her forehead.

When she woke up from the morning light hitting her face through the window, she looked around for Zelda. She heard her from the bathroom doorway. "Over here, Peach. How are you feeling?" Peach frowned and looked down. "Well, eat your breakfast."

She walked to an end table and picked up a tray of food, placing it in Peach's lap. Peach looked up at her curiously. "Did you make this?"

"No," she replied, sitting on the other side of the bed. "It's the chef's cooking. Don't worry. I made sure he didn't poison it. Dig in."

Peach slowly ate her food, but paused to look up when she heard something on the television. "Hey, paisanos! It's the Super Mario Bros. Super Show!" Mario's face was plastered on the screen as his cartoon theme song began. Peach's face saddened slightly.

"Zelda, if you wouldn't mind…"

"Sorry." She promptly changed the channel to a news/political debate show with Toads. They seemed to be just finishing up a topic.

"Well," said one with blue dots, "I think we can all agree that it's good that Bowser is at least out of Mushroom City. On to the next topic. Princess (or Queen) Peach was reported to have ownership of contraband, specifically the Xbox and its 'star' game Halo…"

She nervously changed the channel, while Peach's shoulders sank. It was another political debate. There was an argument between four Toads. The one with red dots shouted over the others, "That is a load of trash! Peach is a role model to Toads everywhere. It's slanderous to accuse her of owning such obscene material!" The channel was quickly changed again, this time to a Sarasaland channel, thanks to the satellite connection.

"Although many consider the mere thought of her playing the game, Death Cap authorities have confirmed…" The television was turned off.

"Thanks for trying," Peach said, pushing her tray aside. "I just have to face the facts. It's not a nightmare I can wake up from. I'll be lucky if I don't get dethroned…"

"Cheer up. I know something that might make you feel better." Peach followed her gaze to the infamous black console with the green X on top. "You know you want to. Besides, I'll play along. We can do the Co-op."

"I don't know…"

"Peach, the best things in life are illegal, immoral, and shameful to the public eye. Once it gets out, you have to make do. You _are_ the ruler of this kingdom. If you wanted to, you could just pardon yourself."

"I shouldn't ignore my own laws…but it's not just that. I violated a contract with Nintendo. They might sue and cancel the contract. That would put the kingdom's economy in trouble, which would just make the situation worse."

"Well, have you ever heard the saying, 'If we're going to hell, we're going all the way?"

"Huh?"

"Just play the game with me. I'm sure we can get pretty far."

Peach sighed. "Okay. Just remember that if you see a rocket launcher, I want it."

"Then, I'll take the sniper rifles."

* * *

The guard was somewhat surprised when he saw Peach finally leave her room, dressed in her usual pink dress. She looked about the lobby curiously and asked, "Is Geno still around?"

"In the library. He is not to be disturbed."

"Oh…"

"If you're bored with your dishonorable activities, you can go wake up Princess Hyrule."

Peach gave him a strange look. "Actually, Zelda's already in my room. She's been there since last night. I guess she teleported in."

"Right," the Death Cap said, pressing the com-link in his ear. "Attention all units. Code Blue. Possible clone infiltration."

"What?" Peach exclaimed. "Aren't you overreacting?"

"Just look at that over there," he pointed behind her. She turned to look and he struck her in the back of the head with the butt of his Light Gun. She fell flat on her face. As other Death Caps began to secure her with power restraints, he pointed to Peach's room. A squad of them moved Peach into Zelda's room, where the Hylian princess was shuffling around in bed. She didn't notice as the soldiers placed small, black, circular devices on each wall.

One soldier reached under his broad white cap and pulled out a small bottle. After wafting it under both of the princesses' noses, he took out a pair of syringes and took blood samples from both of them. He carefully matched the samples to a small manual.

"Negative on the Hylian," he said.

"Are you sure?" another one asked.

"Her testosterone levels aren't low enough," he continued.

"And the Toad?"

"You tell me what the biology of a Toad half-breed is and maybe I could say."

"Whatever the case, one of them was here." He took a small disc from Zelda's still form. "And she left a present."

"Ven," one soldier said, activating his com-link. "Anything in the Toadstool's room?"

"It was Drow alright," Ven replied. "She got away fast, but she left a disc for us."

"Get Geno."


	33. Restoring the Haven

**Restoring the Haven**

The Death Caps explained the situation to Geno while he continued to read the large book in front of him. Once they were finished, he turned a page and asked, "Are Peach and Zelda okay?"

"Princess Hyrule is more than okay," one of them stated.

"We're not so sure about Toadst…I mean, Princess Toadstool."

"What do you mean?" he asked with a hint of concern, looking over his shoulder.

"After rendering both of them unconscious, we did a quick test on their blood samples to detect any signs of pregnancy, since that is the current status of both clones. We confirmed Zelda's identity, but we're unfamiliar with the way a half…Toad…functions. Just to be safe, we recommend immediate imprisonment."

Geno returned to his book and asked, "Tell me, how did you render them both unconscious?"

"Since Zelda was asleep, we simply used the overwhelming smell of a potion to make sure she was unconscious. We disabled Peach and then did the same."

"Disable?"

"A blow to the back of the head."

Geno closed his eyes and slammed the book shut, sending dust into the air. While they coughed and squinted through the dust, he walked past them and out the door.

"Sir?"

"I realize that you all loathe the idea of protecting your former enemies, especially their princess. I'm well aware of the conflicts your respective peoples had with one another."

"You have no idea."

"And as much as I recognize your superior military competence and ability, you're wearing my patience thin. Your job is to protect the kingdom, not to look for excuses to punish Peach. I expect to return here finding Peach _unharmed_. Otherwise, things are going to get unpleasant."

"Another Toad lover, huh?" one of them sneered as he stepped outside. "Never thought the stars would kiss-up to a half-Toad freak."

He stopped in place and glanced over his shoulder. "Sometimes the best things come in odd shapes."

"Where are you going anyway?"

"I have some unfinished business to take care of."

The soldiers glanced at the book and rushed out to catch up to him. The picture was that of Star Haven. "You are taking a squad, aren't you? Koopa still has that area."

"I'll be fine on my own," he said, continuing to walk toward the door. "I think I need a break from you all."

"Perhaps you should take along Toadstool? She might be useful up there."

"I'm sure she would be…but this is a more personal matter. Even with you around, I'm sure she'll be safer here. And if she isn't, I won't be the only one upset with you. I happen to know a certain Sheikah who is less forgiving than me. Is that clear?"

The Death Caps stopped and glared at him as he walked out the door.

* * *

Ignoring the two child-like Great Fairies on his way up Shooting Star Summit, Geno began to take out his Star Guns. After standing at the peak, a light shined down on him and he floated straight upward. Once he arrived at Star Way far up into the sky, he surveyed the road ahead. As usual, the road was made up completely of star energy. Before, there had only been floating blue fire spirits called Embers that guarded the spiraling road. Now, as he looked ahead and above him where the road continued, he saw that Star Way was heavily guarded. There were several Beamos immediately ahead, as well as Poe lanterns lining the road.

Geno strolled forward. When a lantern came to life and a Poe spawned, he simply spat a trickle of water into them to destroy it. As he got closer to the sets of Beamos on opposite sides of the road, he got ready to run. After powering up, he sprinted straight ahead in a blur. He was too fast for any of the Beamos to strike. Some even managed to hit each other with their lasers. Others simply destroyed the Poes that formed as he passed by. After getting past all of them, he saw the next set of challenges and skidded to a halt.

There were fiery skulls with bat wings flying back and forth across the road. In addition, there were Lakitus with strange devices, looking almost like the lights found in a stadium field, stretching out around the cloud flying overhead. When one spotted him, the device charged electrical energy into the turtle's hands, which formed into a ball of energy and was thrown at him. He ducked and it struck the ground behind him. To his dismay, it ignited blasts of fire out of the ground. The blasts began to come toward him and he was forced to continue running up the spiraling road. Once the fire dissipated itself, more of the high-powered creatures began to charge energy. Geno stopped to turn himself into a cannon and used Geno Flash. All the enemies in sight burst to stardust. He morphed back and continued up the spiraling path, drinking a Maple Syrup along the way. He heard the heavy jogging of soldiers from higher up on the path, likely alerted from his lightshow.

He reached into his hat and quickly took out a Bracer and an Energizer, two drinks that would let him shrug off attacks and deal more damage respectively. Giga Koopas soon came down the path, all wielding Bullet Bill Blasters. Three fired at Geno, who fired his Star Guns directly at the Bills. All three were knocked back and exploded into the crowd of Giga Koopas, sending many falling off the sides of the path. One brave Giga Koopa charged straight at him, despite getting hit by the star bullets. Geno jumped on his head and fired at the other five Giga Koopas. When they shot back with Bullet Bills, Geno leapt off the soldier he was on and charged at the others, while the Bullet Bills collided into the lone Giga Koopa, blowing him away. Geno ran between the Giga Koopas to get past them while they were stunned at what had just happened to their comrade. When they gave chase, Geno sent a Geno Whirl their way. They all dived off the path to avoid being sliced in half.

When Geno reached the gates of Star Haven, two Iron Knuckles, one black and one white, were waiting for him. They slowly began their approach. With little room to go around them, Geno attempted another Geno Whirl. As it flew at the white one, it jumped clear over the energy buzzsaw and landed in front of him. Geno jumped back to dodge the following swipe of its ax. When the star bullets he fired bounced off their armor, it was clear to him that these were Titanium Knuckles. Both rushed him with whirling axes, forcing him to continue backing down the path.

Suddenly, the black one raised its ax high into the air and particles of red energy gathered around it. A Flame Stone formed in the air and flew straight at Geno. He was bowled over by the boulder and it burned his plastic skin badly. The other would-be Titanium Knuckle raised its ax and began to glow ominously. Geno had never known Knuckles to have any magic capability. He figured that someone was actually inside the suits of armor. He revealed both arm cannons and charged both with energy. He unleashed twin beams from both cannons into the Knuckles. They attempted to shield themselves, but their helmets were blown off. Geno ran straight at them and jumped as they both swiped. As he went over them, he shot star bullets directly inside the open holes where their helmets had been.

"Ah!" they both yelped. The armors collapsed, revealing dark stars underneath.

"Tainted stars," Geno noted. They both retreated through the gates to the haven.

He took the time to eat a mushroom to heal himself as he moved through the gates. The starry glow of the path ended abruptly once he was in the haven. Instead, darkness rose from the ground. There were dark stars everywhere, big and small, all glaring at him. As he made his way towards the palace, the dark stars all got in his way.

"Stand aside," he said. "I'm here to help you. You've all been corrupted."

"Leave this place, Guardian," they all spoke simultaneously.

"Listen, I don't want to hurt you. Just let me help you. Who did this to you?" He heard a strange sound and turned to see what it was. There he saw two old Gerudo witches riding on brooms.

"What's that Koume?" one of them asked.

"I think that's a doll, Kotake," the other one said. "A living doll."

"Action figure," Geno corrected.

"And he talks," Kotake said.

"Are you the ones who did this to them?" Geno asked.

"Oh, yes," Koume said. "Some of our best work."

"I'm going to need you to return them to normal," Geno said.

"And if we don't?" Kotake asked.

"Then I'll have to assume that your destruction will also break the spell."

"What do you say we show this little doll some manners, sis?" Koume asked.

"Okay, Koume," Kotake said. Their wands glowed with elemental energy, one with ice and the other with fire. As soon as they both fired their beams of ice and fire energy, Geno dashed out of the way. He ducked behind one of the small buildings that were made of glass-like star energy.

They approached as a beam of white light flew into the sky from his position. Suddenly, a rainbow of beams rained down all over Star Haven. The darkness was pierced and large holes formed all over the ground, just as there had been after Star Haven had been attacked many months ago. A flurry of smaller untainted stars flew out of the holes. They all swarmed around the two witches.

"Hey knock it off!" Koume shrieked.

"Get away from us!" her sister yelled. The star kids all suddenly got clear of them, hiding behind buildings. The witches found out why once a globule of light came up between them and burst into the Geno Flash. Geno leapt out from behind the building with the star kids.

"Wow, Geno?!" one of them said in excited disbelief.

"The GENO?!" another one said.

"You're so awesome!"

"Yeah, that was so cool!"

"Another time kids," he said quickly. "Come on, while they're still disoriented." They ran by the dark stars and to the palace. Geno waded through the water, since the path had never been restored. Once inside, he saw that half of the palace was made of Dark Matter, like so much of the rest of Star Haven. In place of the Star Rod at the center, there was a large crag of Death Metal Ore. It seemed to be the source of the darkness. Geno immediately began to charge his Geno Beam. He was knocked aside by a dark star, interrupting his charge process. The dark stars swarmed in and all surrounded the ore to protect it.

"Stay away from that!" Kotake yelled. "You don't have any business here!"

"Liar, liar!" the star kids chanted.

"You're the ones who don't belong here," Geno said, firing at her. She blocked the star bullets with a black barrier. Meanwhile, her sister Koume fired a beam of fire at him. He moved out of the way, but the beam melted through the platform and made a plume of steam rise up as it hit the water. There was so much steam building up that it became difficult to see.

"Where is he?" Koume asked, straining her bulging eyes hard to see through the cloud.

"Blast it, Koume!" Kotake scolded. "Your aim needs serious work!"

"Oh, shut up and help me find him." Suddenly a smiling face met Koume's and she nearly fell off her broom in shock. The star kid laughed and disappeared into the mist. "Stupid brats! Just you wait until…" She saw the end of Geno's blue cape flowing up into air. "Got you!" She shot a beam of fire into the mist, but it did not seem to hit anything.

"I see him!" Kotake shouted, firing her ice beam. Koume was startled as Geno jumped right over her. Kotake's beam flew straight at her and froze her solid. Koume's frozen form hit the ground with a clunk. Kotake, thinking she had struck him, began to cackle. "All right, sis! Now you finish him off! Sis?"

A bright blue beam knocked her clear off of her broom and sent her in a daze. Geno stepped out of the mist and into her view. "Your sister isn't the only one who needs to work on her aim." They both heard a roaring flame and the sound of ice shattering and sizzling.

"Watch where you're shooting, Kotake!" Koume yelled.

"Catch me if you can," Geno called out to her, while standing in front of Kotake.

"Arrogant little whelp!" Koume growled, firing her beam.

"Koume, no!" Kotake screamed as Geno leapt out of the way. The beam set her ablaze and she screeched, quickly rolling around in the shallow water to put the flames out.

"Oops!"

"What do you mean 'oops?'" Kotake barked.

"He's trying to turn us against one another," Koume said. "It's time for our best trick, sis."

"Fine. Let's get this over with."

They both retrieved their brooms and floated into the air, spinning around one another. In a burst of energy, the steam was blasted away and the room was filled with darkness. A greenish light glowed around the newly formed Twinrova. She wore the same sort of clothing typical Gerudo warriors wore, though the top was black. Her hair looked like two branching pigtails. One was ice, the other fire. She took the broomsticks in her hands and spun them until they ignited with both elements. She was even taller than Ganondorf at this point and her skin was the same sickly green.

"Now you're in for it!" she laughed, spinning the wands. When Geno tried to fire at her, she deflected each shot with her ice wand and unleashed a blast of fire with the other. Geno jumped out of the way, watching the ground melt partially in the blast range.

"What now, Geno?" one of the star kids asked worriedly.

"I knew I should have taken that upgrade," he sighed. She floated above him and let out a beam of ice. He jumped out of the way once again, shooting at her the whole way. While she deflected bullets, both charged up another attack. He was readying a Geno Beam while she readied another fire attack. When he fired his Geno Beam, instead of using a fire attack, she spun in a ring of fire and disappeared. She appeared in a burst of flame behind him, standing on the ground, and slammed the fiery wand into the ground. Columns of fire began to explode toward him. He was unable to move and was carried by the wave of explosions until he hit the wall.

"Ha, ha, ha!" Twinrova laughed. "That was a new one I, er…we thought of."

"So," Geno said, standing up from the steaming water, "are you one consciousness, or just two in one body?"

"What does it matter?" she asked, charging both wands.

"It must be a pain to split up when those two are done with you," he said, staring her in the eye. "You must have all the memories of those two witches, but I'll bet you've never experienced anything beyond battle."

"Trying to play head games, huh? Well, it won't work!" She threw a ball of ice, followed by a blast of fire. Geno dashed safely away from both with amazing speed, leaving double images behind him. Then, he stood and stared at her again.

"Don't you think your talents are being wasted like this?" he asked. He sidestepped another blast of ice. "Serving a son of someone else's bloodline, a son who doesn't really care about you."

"That's enough out of you!" she said angrily, firing twin beams of fire and ice energy. He blitzed out of the way, though she kept the beams only a step behind him. He led her beams straight into the cluster of dark stars, which were all blasted away and incapacitated.

"Oops," Geno smiled slyly at her.

"You little fool!" she shouted, shutting off the beams immediately. She flew in toward him to get a closer shot, while blocking the Death Metal Ore. He continued to move about, albeit slow enough for her to keep up. "Hold still!"

As if on command, he stood completely still and began to glow. She took her chance and fired her ice beam. He maneuvered around it in another blaze of speed, leaving a disorienting number of after-images. She orbited the ore, not knowing which of the images was real, though all were fading fast. She suddenly felt the sting of star bullets and instantly fired back at the source. She was confused upon seeing star kids operating one of Geno's arms that also held a Star Gun. She turned back toward the ore and saw Geno turning into a cannon. Before she could stop him, the arm she had turned her back on rocketed into her from behind, exploding upon impact.

A ball of light fired out of the cannon and exploded into the Death Metal. The resulting Geno Flash obliterated the Death Metal and burned into the dark witch. She opened her stinging eyes and saw Geno stand over her, with only one arm on him, pointing a Star Gun at her.

As the newly purified stars rose up around them, he said, "Twinrova, in the name of Star Road, you are under arrest for defiling Star Haven and obstruction of justice."

"You don't seriously think this is over do you?" she seethed. "I can still destroy you!" The Stars closed in on her and covered her. "Hey, what are you doing?"

"You can't do anything when they're all over you like that," Geno said, holstering his gun. He took out a white gem and attached it to the large gem already on her forehead. Her hair returned to its normal whitish gray color and her wands reverted back into normal brooms.

"What's this thing?" she asked.

"It's something a few of our magic experts prepared especially for you," he said. "It nullifies your powers, but it also holds you together. If you try to split into Koume and Kotake, you'll kill yourself."

As she absorbed his words in angered silence, he radioed for a Death Cap transport ship to pick her up.

* * *

Peach and Zelda had been told to wait for Geno on a transport ship on the castle's airfield.

"Why do you think they came here?" Peach asked, referring to the clones.

"The same reason they always appear to us," Zelda said, rolling her eyes. "They strive to make their allegiance as dubious as possible. One moment they're trying to kill us. The next, they're trying to save us."

"Actually, I think they only tried to kill us once," Peach said. "Every other time, they were pretty nice."

"Hmph."

"Well, could you at least say that Morel is nice to you?"

"Disturbingly."

"Sure, they're a little…frisky, but…"

"That would be an understatement."

"_But_ they have come through for us before."

Geno finally came onto the ship and signaled the pilot to lift off. "Hello, you two. I assume the Death Caps didn't harass you too much?"

"Yes, we're fine," Peach smiled briefly, until she saw that he was missing an arm and had several burns. "Geno, what were you doing up on Star Haven?"

"Fighting Twinrova," Geno said as the ship took flight. "Even though I won, that fight could have been easier."

"As impressed as I am about that, does it have anything to do with where we're going next?" Zelda asked.

"A little," Geno said. "The clones left a couple of training discs with both of you. We're going to rendezvous with Daisy and Luigi in Jewelry Land to check them out."

"So, we're going under training?" Zelda asked. "Well, considering our record in recent battles, I suppose we could use some training. But why from the clones?"

"I'm convinced that they're trying to help you and Peach," Geno said. "They've been too helpful lately to really be a threat to you…for now. I doubt Bowser and Ganon would take too well to that fact if they found out."

"What if you're wrong?" Zelda asked.

"Have a little faith, Zelda," Peach said. "Geno wouldn't put us at risk unless there was a good reason. Besides, like you said, we could use some training."

"Especially since it's almost time to make our major offensive against the Dark Land," Geno said.


	34. Training Day

**Training Day**

The trip to Jewelry Land was not long at all. It was a small pair of islands off the coast of the Mushroom Kingdom. The ship passed by a massive floating castle and a large blue mountain. Flying over a field of large mushrooms and mushroom houses, the ship soon flew over the smaller island that was covered in pipes. It stopped in midair and descended onto the island of pipes.

Once the door opened, Peach was pleasantly surprised to be helped down by Prince Pine, a human in very poofy princely attire. His clothing was blue with orange trim and he wore a green hat with a feather through it over his curly shoulder-length brown hair.

"Hello, Prince Pine," Peach curtsied. "I haven't seen you in such a long time."

"Think nothing of it, Princess," he bowed. "I personally know how troublesome Bowser can be."

Once Zelda stepped through the doorway, Peach said, "Pine, this is Princess Zelda. Zelda this is Prince Pine."

"Ah, a rare sight," he said, helping her down as well and kissing her hand. "A pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Princess Zelda."

Zelda blushed, "Um…thank you."

Peach giggled, "Don't mind her. She's just not used to seeing many humans here."

"Tell me," Zelda asked. "Do the people of your land all look like you?"

"Oh, heavens no," he chuckled. "This is one of the most diverse countries in the world. Humans are of course included, though."

"Greetings," Geno said, hopping out of the transport ship. "I see Luigi took care of things here."

"Luigi?" Zelda said.

"You should have seen the number of Bowser's soldiers milling about the land," Pine said. "But Luigi did almost as well as his brother here. We couldn't thank him enough."

"Is Daisy in the facility?" Geno asked.

"Yes, she just returned from her outing with Luigi. We've already notified them of your arrival."

"Thank you," Geno said, jumping onto a pipe. "This way, ladies." He then went down the pipe.

"He certainly seemed to be in a rush," Zelda said.

"He's just aware of the time his maintenance will require," Pine said. "I'm afraid I must also be going soon. You know, royal duties and such. Goodbye, Princess Zelda. And Peach, father sends his best wishes."

* * *

Once Peach and Zelda reached the bottom of the pipe, they found themselves in an underground facility, apparently run by Sarasaland. The guards were the elite Sarasaland variety and there seemed to be technicians and scientists of all kinds everywhere.

"Hey, guys!" Daisy called out to them. Peach and Zelda walked over to her. Zelda was surprised to find that her previously tanned skin was now paler than Peach's.

"Did your beauticians overuse the powder?" Zelda asked.

"Huh? Oh, not really. I just like to doll myself up for Luigi."

"How was your date?" Peach asked.

"All things considered, pretty okay, I guess," Daisy shrugged. "The last time I mentioned my feelings to his face, he kinda freaked. So, I kept this one 'friendly.' You know; nothing, like, too serious."

"Where's Geno?" Zelda asked.

"He's being retrofitted," Daisy said.

"I'm not familiar with that term," Zelda said.

"It's sorta like a makeover, but for machines. We're basically upgrading his doll, I mean, action-figure body. He'll be even cooler when everything's done. So, for now, you two get to undergo training."

"Lead the way," Peach said.

They followed her through a few corridors and into a large room with two platforms and a large computer console.

"This place looks familiar," Peach said.

"It looks an awful lot like that training center that Drow and Morel used in Mushroom City," Zelda said.

"Bingo," Daisy nodded, walking over to the console. "Apparently, they made some training programs just for you. I tried Peach's program, but it wouldn't let me get that far. But at least I can do this!" She jumped up in the air and began to float. Straining somewhat, she slowly rose even higher. Finally, she dropped back to her feet. "Neat, huh?"

"Impressive," Zelda said. "But are you sure these 'programs' won't kill us or something."

"You can't die in a virtual world," Daisy chided, hands on her hips. "The worst that can happen is the program will sync up with your minds, crash, and make you brain-dead."

Peach and Zelda had discouraged looks.

"My bad," Daisy said in retrospect. "But just give it a whirl. If anything happens, we have nice bottles of Pick-Me-Ups waiting. But no faking, okay? A girl could like totally get tore up on that stuff."

"Tore up?" Zelda asked.

"Drunk off your…"

"Behind," Peach interrupted. "Let's just give it a try. Daisy wouldn't steer us wrong." Zelda gave her an unconvinced look. "Okay, _Geno_ wouldn't steer us wrong."

"Fine," Zelda said, stepping onto one of the pads. "Let's just get this over with."

Peach took her place on the other platform and signaled Daisy to begin. With a few tapped buttons, the pads lit up and activated.

* * *

Peach found herself right in front of her castle, though the area was devoid of people. It looked completely untouched and it was quiet except for the sound of the waterfall and tweeting birds. She stood there for a few silent seconds, not knowing what to do.

She suddenly heard the sound of shuffling dirt and saw several Monty Moles popping up through the ground. As they rushed after her, she jumped on each mole, destroying them with a pop.

She heard the sound of a distant bang, as if a faraway cannon had fired. She turned toward the road passing the castle grounds and ducked an incoming Bullet Bill. The missile crashed into the ground and exploded.

A shadow passed overhead and a Lakitu whisked by, wielding a Spiny Egg. Before he could throw it, she tossed a turnip at him, knocking him off his cloud. He popped just like the Monty Moles.

Then, she heard a hissing sound. A Bob-omb with a lit fuse came from behind a tree and charged straight at her. She tossed another turnip at it and it exploded.

"Well, this is easy," Peach said to herself. A large, unchained Chomp suddenly dropped in front of her. "Oh no…"

* * *

Zelda was fighting off the Stalfos atop her castle. Once she had suitable distance, she crushed it to dust with her telekinesis. She did the same thing to the following Iron Knuckle.

"Okay, that's good," Drow said, appearing in front of her. "Now, it's time for the real training."

"Do I get to fight you?" Zelda asked.

"Later," Drow answered. "By the way, I'm not the real thing, just an incredibly life-like simulation. Anywho, let's start by getting your telekinesis under control."

"I think my control is good enough," Zelda said snidely.

"Really? Then, would you mind moving this from my hand to yours?" Drow took out a simple blue marble. "Without breaking it."

Zelda frowned and looked about nervously. She held out her hand and slowly made the marble rise out of Drow's hand. It moved closer and safely landed in her hand. "There. That wasn't so hard."

"Very good," Drow smiled. "That means you've improved from the last time you had to move a marble."

"How do you know about that?" Zelda exclaimed.

"I, or the real me anyway, can read your mind. Remember?"

"Hmph."

"Let's try something a bit harder." Up on the tower of the castle, a redheaded girl appeared to be holding on for dear life. "Bring Malon down here safely. And don't worry. If you mess up, it's not the real thing."

"Help!" Malon cried.

"Only Drow would be sick enough to make things like this," Zelda groaned. She gently began to take psychic hold of Malon's body. Unfortunately, Malon lost her grip and began to fall. Zelda overreacted and squeezed to tightly, making Malon go limp instantly.

"Ooooh, that's not pretty," Drow said. "Try again." Malon was again holding onto the ledge.

"I hate you," Zelda sighed.

* * *

"Whew!" Peach panted, falling into a sitting position as the Chomp disappeared.

"Nice work," Morel said, standing behind her.

"Morel. What are you doing here?"

"I'm just a simulation, your guide to becoming a better Peach."

"Oh."

"So, when was the last time you learned a new move?"

"Months," Peach answered. "It was when I absorbed that extra power from that limbo world."

"And you've leveled up how many times since then?" Morel asked. "Time for you to learn some new moves and improve your old ones." The castle grounds were instantly filled with the old, sick, weak, and dying. Peach found herself in her old nurse uniform. "Okay, Nurse Peach, time to put that degree to work. Your mission is to fix up all these people. Most importantly, don't let anyone die. And go!"

The air was filled with miserable groans and whining. Peach rushed from cluster to cluster of people and used Group Hug to heal them. She soon found that she would not be able to heal everyone that way. She called on the Shining Star to amplify her powers and healed everyone on the grounds at once.

"Wow," Morel said, as they all disappeared. "I wasn't expecting you to pass that fast. Good job."

"Thank you," Peach smiled.

"Let's work on double jumping and floating, now. Watch me." Morel jumped, spun higher into the air, and at the peak of the double jump, began to slowly float higher. She gently fell back down to the ground. "Have any idea how to do that?"

"Not really…"

"Well, it should be easier for you to pick up than it was for me," she said, stepping closer to Peach. "First, you need to know where your center of power is. If you know what it is, it will let you go higher. Try floating."

"Okay," Peach said, lifting her feet off the ground and hovering over the ground.

"Now, tell me what's keeping you in the air. Where is your energy coming from?"

"Um…my feet?"

"Wrong," Morel said, flipping Peach upside down. "If it were your feet, they wouldn't be dangling like this." Peach came back down to the ground on her back. "Try again." Peach did as told. "The position you're in should give you a clue."

"My stomach? It's in my center."

"Close," Morel said, walking behind her. "It's actually this," she said, grabbing her.

"Eek!" Peach shrieked, immediately floating higher. "Why there?"

"Drow said something about a mystical pillow of power…or something…"

"Oh, that…" Peach said awkwardly as she landed once again.

"That's why you're kind of sitting in the air."

"Can we do something else instead?"

"Fine. I want you to destroy this castle from the outside," Morel said.

"What?! Why?"

"Part of your training."

"But the only way I can destroy something that big is with my Psych Bombs."

"Well, what're you waiting for?" Morel asked.

"What purpose is this supposed to serve?"

"The more you use your Pysch Bomb, the stronger it will be. Think of it as if you're working out at the gym, but with your powers instead of your muscles."

"Oh…okay."

"Good. Now, I want that castle in ruins ASAP!"

* * *

"Well done, Zelda," Drow said, sitting on the ledge of the roof and reading a book. "You managed to rescue Malon _without_ killing her. I think we should try for better than broken ribs though."

"Can we move on to something else?" Zelda asked, rubbing her aching head.

"Very well," Drow said, tossing the book away and moving to face her. "Let's practice that time freeze of yours."

"Time freeze?" Zelda balked. "But I could barely activate it the last time I tried it. And I went unconscious!"

"Don't get ahead of yourself," Drow said. "We're going to take it one step at a time. This is one of the few techniques only you can do. I may have your body, but I'm not a Sage. Besides, it's hard to tell how much you can affect time in virtual reality. So, I want you to meditate this afternoon. We're done for the day."

"That's it?"

"Yes. When you're meditating, just envision yourself slowing the flow of time. Use that water metaphor like you did when you used your telekinesis on Peach that one time."

Zelda frowned in concern. "How often do you read my mind?"

"Every chance I get," Drow smiled. "Goodbye."

* * *

Daisy was somewhat surprised when both Peach and Zelda's programs abruptly ended. Both of them looked exhausted, Peach more than Zelda.

"So, how was it?" Daisy asked.

"Hard," Peach said, hanging her shoulders low.

"Aggravating," Zelda said.

"Well, you didn't expect to be done in one session, did you?" Daisy chuckled.

"I suppose that would be setting the bar a little high," Zelda said. "Still, I feel rather…unsatisfied."

"I just feel tired…" Peach said, sinking into a sitting position.

"Do you think you'll have enough energy for dinner?" Daisy asked.

"I know _I_ do," Zelda said enthusiastically.

"Count me out," Peach said. "All I want to do is take a shower and go to bed."

"Well, that's a shame," Daisy smiled slyly. "I guess I'll have to tell Sheik that you won't be coming."

"Sheik?" Peach nearly shouted.

"He's here?" Zelda asked.

"Yep. He and Ingrid showed up just after you started training to give us a status update about Hyrule and everything. Ingrid's in Sarasaland right now, going over things with Syrup, but Sheik decided to stay for you-know-who."

"Where is he?" Peach said urgently, rising to her feet.

"Behind you," he said.

She about-faced instantly and leapt into his arms. "Oh, Sheik! I'm so glad you're back." She pecked him on the cheek.

"As am I," he said, stroking her hair. "I'm just sorry I had such poor timing."

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"I mean the way I came during your training and now you're exhausted," he said.

"I can make it through dinner," she grinned.

* * *

"So, Sheik," Zelda said, picking up a chicken strip in the cafeteria. "How are things in Hyrule."

"Much better since you were last there," he said. He attempted to put a fry into his mouth, but forgot about his veil. "Hmph… Anyway, Nabooru, Malon, and Ingrid worked together to revive the Sages as safely as possible. Nabooru retrieved the souls, while Malon and Ingrid combined their powers to semi-revive them." He pulled his veil open just long enough to slip the fry in.

"Semi-revive?" Peach questioned.

"Unfortunately, the curse is still active," Sheik said gravely. "Even if they were to believe that it was the clones who were behind everything, they would still go back to their old ways. They would kill anyone who got in their way. But the curse is inactive when they are dead."

"So, by keeping them half-dead," Daisy reasoned, "you can keep them under some sort of control."

"Correct," Sheik nodded. "They have enough will power to overcome the curse when it isn't fully active. But they're still under a heavy strain as zombies."

"Is that…part of the reason why you're here?" Zelda asked carefully.

He glanced at her briefly and quietly said, "Yes."

"Maybe I should go there and purify them?" Peach suggested. "That way they can be fully restored."

"I'm hesitant to let you put yourself in that kind of position," Sheik said. "Although non-lethal, they are prone to violent behavior. Especially Saria and Ruto." He stared at his food, deep in thought.

"What about Impa?" Zelda asked.

"She's handling it well," Sheik answered. "Mostly just anxious."

"Speaking of anxious," Daisy said, turning to the man in green next to her. "Luigi, aren't you going to say something?"

"This is all-a way beyond me," he said nervously. "I'm just a simple plumber. I don't know anything about-a curses and-a magic."

"You don't give yourself enough credit, Luigi," Sheik smiled beneath his veil. "Time and again, you've come through for us. I even hear you're the savior of this kingdom in particular."

"Well, I…" Luigi said bashfully. "It was nothing. Just a few Goombas and Koopas here and there."

"And a couple dozen mutants," Daisy said. "Come on, Weege! Give yourself some credit. You're doing better than those two bums on the DK Isles."

"Wario and Waluigi?" Peach asked. "You mean they failed?"

"No, they didn't fail," Daisy said. "They just blew up the enemy forces along with most of the island. Excessive collateral damage."

"It reminds me of what I had to do for training," Peach sighed. "All those explosions…"

"Perhaps you should turn in for the night," Sheik said. "You look tired."

"It would be best to rest up for tomorrow's training," Zelda said. "At least we have a few weeks, just in case things get a little too rough."

"A few weeks?" everyone but Peach and Zelda said.

"Did we miss something?" Zelda asked.

"According to what I've heard," Sheik said, "we have no more than one week."

"Why?" Peach asked. "What's going on?"

"Bowser's building an attack fleet," Daisy said. "Our satellites picked up some really scary stuff. We can't see it very clearly, but all signs point to an invasion force. We're just not sure what's being invaded."

"I don't think anyone really wants to know," Luigi said.

"Get some sleep, Peach," Daisy said. "And no canoodling!"

"We weren't…" Peach said, blushing along with Sheik.

* * *

As Peach and Sheik walked to her assigned quarters, Peach had a question on her mind. "Sheik, how did you get to this world this time? Did you find a new warp or gateway?"

"So to speak," Sheik said. "It was rather unexpected actually. For some reason, Drow found us and insisted on teaching Ingrid to teleport between worlds."

"Just like that?"

"You know Ingrid. She tried to kill Drow every chance she got. I'm sorry to say that the story is a little humorous. After several unsuccessful attempts at communication, Drow started showing up while Ingrid was more…vulnerable."

"Such as?"

"Once while she was sleeping, another time while was bathing, and another time while she was…um…in the loo. In the end, Ingrid learned how to teleport to this world and back, all within forty-eight hours. You wouldn't happen to know why Drow is overtly helping us like that, would you?"

"I'm not quite sure," Peach said. "But she seems to have good intentions. By the way, I want you to make me a promise."

"What is it?" he asked as they reached her room.

"If you happen to come across Morel or Drow, promise me you won't hurt them."

"What? Why?"

"They're both expecting."

"They're pregnant?!" Sheik exclaimed. "Are you sure? Where did you get that idea?"

"It's kind of a long story," Peach yawned. "The others will be able to explain. Goodnight, Sheik." She gave him a kiss and walked into her room.

"Okay… Goodnight."


	35. Briefing

**Briefing **

"You've come a long way in a short time, Peach," the simulated Morel said, as they stood on top of the castle. "See how far you've come with a little hard work?"

"Yes, thank you," Peach said.

"Now, let's do a quick review shall we? How do you double jump and float up?"

"Happy thoughts," Peach smiled, floating up and moving forward at the same time.

"Good. Now, how about your new Psychotic Bomb?"

"Blazing fury!" Peach yelled angrily, flinging bombs all over the castle grounds. Once she was done, she dropped out of the air panting, but not exhausted.

"How about Rage?" Morel asked.

Peach balled her fists and strained while cringing. "Shining Star!" The Shining Star appeared above her and turned red. Peach burst into a fiery aura.

"Very good," Morel said, prompting her to return to normal. "And based on everything you just did in such a short period of time, approximately how much magic do you have left?"

"Um, hmm… Well, that Psychotic Bomb was pretty tiring…floating wasn't too bad…and a short Rage… I'm going to say less than seventy-five percent?"

"Less than seventy-five percent, huh? Survey says…" she looked to the sky. A panel flipped in the sky revealing the number 74.91. "Wow, good guess."

"So, is this the end?"

"Actually, I've got one more trick to tell you about. I can't really teach it to you, but it'll be easy enough to do. Now, I have a teleportation trick that would take way too long for you to learn. But I've got something almost as good for you. I've been trying to think of a half decent name for it, but all I could think of was the Cosmic Control."

"That sounds a lot like another move…" Peach said thoughtfully. "It was really catchy too, with the same alliteration. Cosmic Control…no, Creature Control? No…"

"Anyway, it'll basically fuse your Rage and float moves together to give you high-speed, invincible flight. The problem is, even with your Shining Star helping you, you'd completely drain your magic and probably faint in the process. But with a powerful item, you'd be able to use it over and over. Any one of the legendary seven Star Spirits would suffice."

"But Bowser has all of them."

"Exactly. That's why you need something just as strong, if not stronger. Think, Peach. What's the only star with that kind of power that you know of? I'll give you a hint. Only one is made every thousand years. And you happened to win the most recent one at a certain party."

"The Millennium Star? But it's still an infant. And besides, I gave it to Daisy to protect it."

"It may be an infant, but it should have enough strength to get the job done. You may have to charge it up or something though. I'm sure it would be willing to help you out. At any rate, I've taught you all I can in the allotted time. I only have one last message for you, Peach."

"What's that?"

"If I see you during the battle, I'll kill you," Morel said grimly, but bluntly. "Don't bother showing up unless you're willing to take that risk."

"Wha? Why are you saying this?"

"I have my orders. I just wanted to give you fair chance. Goodbye, Peach."

* * *

"Well, done," Drow said to Zelda as they stood out in the middle of Hyrule Field. "I didn't think you'd actually pull it off, but you managed to gain complete control of your telekinesis. I've taught you everything I can for now."

"What about my Time Freeze?" Zelda asked. "I still can't do it without fainting."

"I assure you, Peach should have the energy source you'll need. Speaking of Peach, I have a favor to ask of you."

"What would that be?"

"Make sure that she does not go into battle," Drow said. "Morel has orders to kill her should she appear. None of us want her to get hurt. And I don't want Morel getting hurt by any avengers."

"What about you?" Zelda asked in a low voice.

"What about me?"

"Aren't you going to try and kill her, too?"

"Strictly speaking, I don't have to take orders from Bowser, so no. However, you _will_ give the final Triforce piece to Ganondorf. I guarantee it."

"Why do you listen to him? You're powerful enough to resist him. You could even join us. Morel, too."

Drow smirked. "I never thought I'd hear you speaking to me like that, of all people. I'll be honest with you, Zelda. I'm not working for Ganondorf. Neither is Morel truly working for Bowser. We serve a…higher purpose."

"The Shadow Queen?" Zelda asked, her eyes narrowing.

"All you need to know is that there is only one last piece to the Forbidden Seal. It dictates that evil must never possess the entire Triforce. I intend to make sure Ganondorf will have the last Triforce piece and my mission will be complete."

"Darkness will consume all," Zelda murmured to herself.

"Take care, Zelda," Drow smiled darkly. "I'll be seeing you soon…whether or not you come to the battle."

"I'll be there," Zelda replied with a similar smile.

* * *

When Zelda stepped off the virtual pad, she found her mother waiting there for her instead of anyone else. Her mother took her hand and they teleported to another part of the facility.

In this new room, Peach and Daisy were talking to Geno, who was being upgraded and rebuilt by various engineers and robotic arms from the ceiling. Half of his face was incomplete and appeared completely robotic. For the most part, he simply looked slightly shinier than usual.

"Done, Zelda?" he asked in an electronic voice.

"So, this is where you've been all week."

"Yes, I'll be done in an hour or so," he said. "The rest of you go to Sarasaland with Ingrid. She can pick me up in two hours."

"Why are we going to Sarasaland?"

"It's where you'll be briefed on your mission," Ingrid said.

"And where my fleet is based," Daisy said.

"And I need to pick up something from one of Daisy's houses," Peach said.

"All right, then let's go," Zelda said. They all took hold of Ingrid and disappeared with her. They appeared in what seemed to be an underground base with various soldiers walking around.

"The briefing won't be for some time," Ingrid said. "Peach, I would like you to come to Hyrule with me."

Zelda began to protest, "But Sheik said…"

"That is why Sheik is not with us," Ingrid said. "I'm asking Peach, no one else."

"You want me to purify them, right?" Peach asked.

"Correct," she nodded. "You will not be harmed."

"I'll be okay, Zelda," Peach said. "This should only take a second." They disappeared.

"Hey, you," Daisy said to one of the Nokobon guards.

"Yes, your highness?"

"Could you get my sister on the phone? I need to talk to her." The guard immediately became nervous, as did every staff member within earshot. Many of them began to leave the area.

"Uh, I can't do that," he said.

Daisy saw how everyone was reacting and got a sour look on her face. "What did she do?" she sighed.

"Um… She left…without warning."

"Well, that's not so bad I guess…" Daisy saw that everyone was still anxious. "What did she steal?" she asked dryly. "Did she raid the treasury?"

"Yes…"

"And?"

"And…she took the XL-GBM…"

"She WHAT?!" Daisy boomed, grabbing him. "She took my mech?!"

He retreated his head into his shell. "Yes, ma'am…"

"Why am I just now hearing about this?"

"We didn't want to risk a security leak through a transmission. You said it had to be absolutely top secret."

"Oh, what-_ever_!" Daisy seethed. "As soon as this is over, I want her on our Most Wanted ASAP!"

"Isn't that a bit extreme, your majesty?" he asked. "I mean, she _did_ design and build it herself."

"My idea, _my_ money, and _my_ base!" Daisy barked.

"Daisy, calm down," Zelda said.

"Shut up, Zelda! There's no flipping way I'm gonna' let this crud slide! I oughta have every freaking one of you here so totally court-martialed! Anything else happen while I was away? Huh? Maybe my house blew up and you just forgot to tell me?"

Ingrid and Peach reappeared, but Daisy continued to rant loudly. Ingrid covered her ears and leaned close to Zelda. "What is the matter with her?"

"Syrup stole one of her secret weapons, as well as a portion of the treasury."

"Please, stop yelling," Ingrid said, though her voice was drowned out by Daisy's tirade. She laid a hand on Daisy's shoulder and teleported with her. A second later, they reappeared, though Daisy was silent now and rubbing her stinging cheek.

"Peach, Zelda, let's go get something to eat," Daisy said. "I need a little relaxation before the briefing."

* * *

Once everyone had gathered into the briefing room, the Death Cap Commander took his place at the front of the room, in front of the world map. Although only the most important people were in the room, all the soldiers who would participate in the battle could see the briefing from anywhere on the base.

"Let's get through this quick," he said. The image of the map zoomed in on the border between the Dark Land and the Mushroom Kingdom. "As you're all aware by now, the Dark Forces have been amassing a large fleet. In the past few hours, that fleet has slowly been making its way across border to the Mushroom Kingdom. It's clearly an invasion force. However, it is…frighteningly massive. Bring up the picture."

The image changed to show dozens of huge battleships flying through the air. Of course, there were modified Doom Ships that were more heavily fortified than usual with large cannons and metal plating. But they were the smallest ships in the fleet by far.

"Now, these Doom Ships, though modified are actually standard size. There are at least twenty of them in that fleet. Next up on the ladder are these." The picture zoomed in on a ship that looked big enough to hold half a dozen Doom Ships. It had the appearance of a Bullet Bill with a much sharper nose. "We have no idea whether this 'Bill Ship' is an actual Bullet Bill or just a ship with the appearance of one. However, we do know that it is equipped with several heavy guns on its outer shell. There are at least seven of these ships. Each one seems to be flanked by two or more Doom Ships."

The image actually zoomed out to show the next ship. It had the shape of Paratroopa on all fours. They were only slightly bigger than the Bill Ships, but seemed to be more heavily armed because of the extra cannons and turrets along the wings. The wings actually made them seem bigger. "These Paratroopa Ships are potentially an even bigger threat because of their surface area. It wouldn't be too hard to imagine how easily just one of these things could blanket bomb an entire city. Finally, we have this sucker."

The image zoomed out more to reveal a ridiculously large ship that had the semblance of a large Piranha Plant with thorny vines entangling a Whomp and two Chain Chomps. There were reddish orange glowing areas on top of the Whomp amongst the vines. The Chain Chomps were pressed together towards the middle of the ship, just below the main head of the Piranha Plant. Though colorful, all were clearly just parts of the ship. Towards the back of the ship, there was a more conventional fortress structure that looked like one of Bowser's standard castles, complete with his visage at the top.

"Just to give everyone a clear idea of this thing, it's the approximate size of the entire city of Li Wei. For that reason, our mission is to cut through the exterior of the fleet and to this Flagship. Heck, we might as well call this thing an air base. It has the largest cannons I've ever seen, so only fighters and stealth ships are authorized to approach it. The fighters are our main weapon to get through all of this. Once they penetrate the outer fleet, they will provide cover for Angel Squadron to drop off Geno and Princess Zelda. Any place will do, but get as close to flagship as possible. Geno and Zelda…"

"Excuse me," Peach said. "I'll be coming, too."

The Commander had a look of annoyance, but continued. "…And Toadstool will join them. After reaching the Flagship, they must get to the inner sanctum and disable it. You'll be on your own then, so be careful. As insurance, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, and Jinx will be dropped off at separate points. Take down any ships you can. Bear in mind that the Flagship is within the Dark Land's territory, so there might be some complications. We've been detecting strange activity from the area the whole time, so stay on your toes. The Koopas probably used the Star Rod to build the fleet. Who knows what else they might do?"

"What about the Death Metal warhead?" Zelda asked.

"The bulk of our fleet will form a blockade against the enemy fleet. No Death Metals are to get past our defenses. We've devised a weapon that can nullify Death Metals, but only a few at a time. These come in the form of the L-7 missiles all ships will be equipped with. That is all for the air force. General?"

"Thank you," Ingrid said, taking his place as he stood aside. "On the ground level, I have arranged for Hyrulean forces to penetrate deep into Dark Land territory. The Gorons will traverse the lava lakes, while Hylians and Gerudo march across the wastes. The Sheikah will accompany them. Our mission is to capture the ground fortress that belongs to Bowser. If we can do that, we might be able to down the fleet prematurely. All ground forces will be escorted by Blue Team. Red and Yellow Team will perform surface-to-air fire to support the air battle at coordinates designated by the Commander. It's as simple as that. Bowser and Ganondorf are everone's primary targets. Dismissed."

* * *

"What is it that you wanted to show us?" Peach asked Daisy, as she and Zelda followed her.

"Your gear," Daisy smiled, leading them into an empty lab room. After dialing a few buttons on a wall panel, two glass tubes rose out of the floor, giving off mist. "First, your dresses."

One tube opened to reveal a dress that looked like Peach's typical dress. "Looks normal to me," Peach said.

"Check this out," Daisy said, taking a flamethrower from a hidden panel in the wall. She torched the dress, but it looked completely unharmed. "It's fireproof." She lifted up the skirt, which revealed blades along the hem. "With blades lining the inside. Very effective if you ever break into a spin at close range, but they won't ever cut the wearer."

"Okay…" Peach said nervously.

"Zelda, your dress is made for your ninja skills," she said, revealing her dress. The skirt wasn't as wide, but Daisy stretched it. "It extends to your body's movements and it's trip-proof. Plus, it stays close enough to the legs so that it won't snag. The whole think is made of a light material, also fireproof, and the bodysuit is actually just under the skirt. So, if it manages to get in the way, just toss it."

"Impressive," Zelda said, feeling the material.

"And this tiara's neat," Daisy continued, "because it will help you regenerate your magic over time. Peach, that's what your new brooch is for. Now, get dressed, and make sure you wear the underwear that goes with it." Without letting them respond, Daisy stepped out of the room and waited.

"_Okay,"_ Zelda said to her telepathically. "_We're dressed."_

Daisy stepped back in smiling. "Now, wanna know what's cool about the underwear?"

"I don't think I want to know," Zelda said.

"Watch." Daisy punched Peach in the chest. Peach recoiled out of instinct, but looked surprised.

"That didn't hurt at all," Peach said.

"Yep, the bras are shock-proof. You'd have to fall on a sword or something from pretty high up for it to hurt. And these stylish sneakers are made to cushion big falls. By the way, your dresses are super durable, so if you did fall on a sword, you probably won't die."

"Probably?" Zelda asked.

"And guess what's so special about the panties?"

"They're black?" Peach frowned.

Daisy rolled her eyes. "Take off the dress really quick, Peach." Peach nervously did as told. "Now, try to take off your panties."

"No!"

"Just try."

"No way!"

Daisy tackled her to the ground, grabbing onto them. "Just let me show you something!" Despite Peach's struggling, Daisy tugged on them. With a grunt, she managed to lift Peach upside down, still holding onto them. "See? Neat, huh? They don't come off. Plus, they're just as durable and fireproof as the bras. We based them on Peach's Gard Gloves. Comfortable, but nearly unbreakable."

"Put me down!" Peach yelled.

"Interesting," Zelda said. "But how do we remove them? I don't intend to where these for the rest of my life."

"Easy, you don't," Daisy said. "We can remove them with a cutting laser later! That's why I had you guys go to the bathroom first."

"Figures," Zelda said.

"What about these pouches?" Peach said, putting her dress back on.

"Those will hold your support items," Daisy said. "Mostly Royal Syrup and Max Mushrooms."

"That sounds potent," Zelda said. "This is all very impressive, but we have to speed this along. The mission commences in ten minutes."

"Alright, gather your stuff and come with me to the hangar," Daisy said, walking out.

* * *

"Daisy, you've outdone yourself," Zelda said, surveying the squadrons of fighter craft.

"I know," Daisy blushed.

"Did you get the licenses for this stuff from Nintendo?" Peach asked.

"Well, they don't need to know about this," Daisy giggled nervously. "Besides, imitation is the best form of flattery. Arwings are awesome, especially since I maxed out the lasers and Nova Bombs. Did you see the Landmaster Division?"

"Landmaster?!" Peach exclaimed.

"Yep. Now, get into your ship before you decide to call up Nintendo."


	36. Koopa Fleet

**Koopa Fleet**

A squad of Giga Paratroopas was scouting the area high above the Mushroom Kingdom in a V-formation. It was a pleasant day as always in the Mushroom Kingdom, with a blue sky filled with clouds, and a bright afternoon sun. The leader at the center of the formation radioed in, "Koopla here. No problems." Suddenly, some laser fire shot down one of the flanking members. "Enemy detected! Do you copy?! Emergency maneuvers!" The V did a U-turn straight back into the more cloudy area behind them, where the rest of the fleet was.

In the distance, the Sarasaland Fleet could be seen, being led by a squadron of Arwings. The rest of the ships far behind seemed to be Dreadnoughts and Cruisers flying through the air.

"Too late! Game Over!" Daisy said over the radio.

"Princess, are you sure about this?" asked the pilot of the Arwing designated as Rose 4.

"Darn skippy!" Daisy said. "All Wings, report in."

"Red 7, standing by."

"Green 11, standing by."

"Angel 20, standing by."

"Yellow 5, standing by."

Every fighter continued to report in until everyone was accounted for. "Open the wings," Central Control radioed. "Red Team, take the top. Green Team take the left. Yellow Team take the right. Blue will cover the bottom. Rose Squadron, take the center. Angel Squadron, maintain your distance, set turrets to remote, and keep it steady. All Wings, accelerate to attack speed."

The eight Arwings of Rose Squadron, Daisy's team, boosted ahead and into the outer reaches of the enemy fleet. They shot away at the fleeing Giga Paratroopa scouts and began hammering away at the first Doom Ship they encountered. It was quickly downed, but dozens of Bob-ombs were launched out of the ships behind it.

"Incoming Bob-ombs!" Daisy said, slowing down. "Rose Squadron, form on my wing." The Arwings all caught up to her and remained alongside her. "Firing first Nova Bomb volley." Each fired a single missile into the cloud of falling Bob-ombs. The series of bright explosions wiped out all of the Bob-ombs like a band of dominoes.

"Angels, we are clear for approach," Rose 2 said. He spoke too soon as, the Bill Ships launched six rather suspicious-looking Bullet Bills. Each had a platinum sheen and red eyes.

"Scans show they aren't Death Metals," Rose 4 said. "Shoot 'em down. They're trying to scare us off."

The surprisingly durable Bullet Bills took quite a bit of laser fire from each member of Rose Squadron before they finally crumbled and exploded harmlessly. By now, the fighters had gotten the Koopa Fleet's attention. Since Rose Squadron was the only one focused on simply penetrating the fleet, they passed by many enemy ships, while attempting to cause as much damage as possible. The Bill Ships, which made up most of the next layer, began to fire off Smart Bills.

"Did we get 'em yet?" a gruff, though unfamiliar voice asked over the radio.

"Not yet, sir," another voice said.

"We're getting overlap from enemy transmissions," Control said to everyone. "They can't hear us, but we can hear them. That's what they get for not encoding their signals."

"I've got a few bogeys on my tail," Daisy said, boosting into hard turns. "Must've missed those Smart Bills." Laser fire from a cloaked stealth ship took out the offending missiles. "Thanks, Angel."

"Just trying to speed things along."

Daisy saw a wing get blown off of an Arwing that got to close to a Koopa Ship. "Watch those cannons. Don't get too close to the heavier ships. Remember, we're here to clear a path."

"Roses 4 through 8," Control said. "Red Team needs some extra support. We don't need to look too suspicious in the middle."

"Roger that, Control," Rose 4 said, leading the others upward.

"Enemy fire increasing," Daisy said, barrel rolling out of laser fire and blasting along the surface of a Bullet Ship. When Smart Bills locked onto her, she bombed the surface to cripple the ship and destroy them at the same time.

"Move into the clouds," Control advised.

"You guys were way off on the enemy counts," Daisy said, sneaking by a Koopa Ship in the cloud cover. "There's like fifty Bill Ships out here. They're getting closer together too. I'm starting to see what looks like a base." There were floating platforms that led to other ships, as well as a rail system for trolleys, where sentry cannons continued to fire.

"I don't think we're going to have much more space, Control," Angel 20 said.

"Push a little further," Control said. "We need to get as close as possible."

Soon, Doomships began to put themselves in the way of Rose Squadron, but the Arwings simply flew around them, even managing to down a few on the way by.

"They've passed the first line," came a voice over an enemy transmission.

After exiting the cloud cover, Daisy saw that there was an airfield of Fire Chomps. She mowed through with her laser fire, clearing a path for the others to follow, even as the Fire Chomps flung fireballs at them.

"Guys, it looks like something new is coming up," Daisy warned. There were large Bullet Bill Blasters hovering in the air, suspended by thrusters. The strange thing was that they darted around every second or so, while firing multiple shots of regular Bullet Bills. There were many more Doomships lining the path, also firing Bullet Bills and cannons. Daisy flung another Nova Bomb into their ranks to destroy some of the Blasters.

"We're drawing too much fire," Angel 20 said.

"Do what you've gotta do, Angels," Daisy said.

"Bwa ha ha!" Bowser's voice laughed over all frequencies. "So, you guys finally decided to come out and play, huh? Those flying pieces of scrap won't stand a chance against me and my unstoppable fleet. The Koopa Fleet is endless. With the power of the Star Rod, I can make as many ships as I want to. It's invincible, ha ha!"

"Full of himself as usual," Geno said, standing with Peach and Zelda on a partially disabled Doom Ship as a Stealth Ship lifted off. "Ready, ladies?"

"Ready," they said, each holding onto one of his hands.

He dashed forward with them at blazing speed, easily outrunning any projectiles that had been fired at them. After reaching the tip of the Doom Ship, they leapt straight off.

"Whoa, we're really high up!" Peach said, still holding on.

"I can't even see the ground from here," Zelda said. "I hope these shoes are as good as Daisy said they were." They fell for nearly ten seconds. The wind rushed up through their hair and clothing. They had very clear view of the beauty of the Mushroom Kingdom's skies, as well as the armada before them.

"Here it comes," Geno said as they neared a platform being manned by Giga Koopas with Blasters. All three landed and bounced slightly, startling the Giga Koopas. Geno overwhelmed one Giga Koopa with a flurry of star bullets. Zelda knocked one of them clear off the platform. Peach used the Peach Bomber to the blow the remaining one away.

"That wasn't so bad," Peach said. "But where do we go next?"

Geno picked up a remote from the dispatched Giga Koopa. "They've disabled the trolley system. That may lighten up the situation for the Arwings, but we might be stuck here. Peach, can you fly us out of here?"

Peach checked with the Millennium Star, which hid under her crown in her hair. "Sorry, I can't fly that long. And the Millennium Star isn't charged up enough."

"Zelda, do you have any useful tricks?" Geno asked. "The fighters are too busy to help us right now."

"Hmm," Zelda said, looking at the rail passing by the platform. "I don't think we need a trolley." She hopped onto the rail with perfect balance. "I think we can just use the rail system itself."

"So, we should grind along the rails, eh?" Geno smirked. "Peach, are you up to it?"

"Grinding? I haven't done that since the second Mario Party," Peach said. "But if I can get a board, then I should be able to manage." Zelda responded by telekinetically ripping a section of plating off of the platform. "Wow."

"Excellent form," Geno said, jumping onto the rail in front of Zelda. Peach took the metal "board" and jumped onto the rail in front of both of them, quickly grinding down the slope.

"Whee!" Peach squealed giddily, doing quick 180º spins to pick up speed. Geno and Zelda did the same to catch up.

Once Geno was within earshot, he had to ask, "Peach, you say you learned to do this at one of Mario's parties?"

"Yep," she said, facing backward so that she could look him in the face. "Kind of by accident too. The game was to use skateboards to outrun Big Boo. There were some stairs and Thwomps in the way, so I happened to grind along a few rails to get by. And before that, we were trying to escape the collapsing floor while over a sea of lava."

"That doesn't sound like a party I'd want to got to," Zelda said. They jumped off the rail as they went over a Doom Ship and landed on the deck jogging, with Peach holding her board under her arm. All the cannons began to turn to them. "I'll take care of these."

"No, just ignore them," Geno said, continuing to run along the deck to other end of the ship. "There should be a railway somewhere behind this thing." Sure enough, they reached a railway in the air just behind the Doom Ship leading to a platform that had several cannons on it. "Now, Zelda, let's try that new trick."

"Got it," Zelda said as they jumped from the rail. Using her telekinesis, she threw Peach and Geno right at the cannons. The Peach Bomber destroyed two of the cannons at once. Geno smashed through one unharmed, and stood before the remaining cannon. As it turned toward him, he tossed his guns into the air and fired Twin Rocket Punches at it. Once the fists blew up and destroyed the cannon, a new pair of hands took their place and he caught his guns.

"Should we go up there?" Peach asked, looking up to a low-flying Bill Ship.

"It's a little too high…" Geno said, before linking into his internal radio. "Control, we need this Bill Ship to go a little lower."

"Roger that. We have your signal. Transmitting now." Soon enough, several Arwings began to assault the Bill Ship overhead. After a heavy beating, it began to sink and tilt downward. "Geno, we've plotted a path that should get you closer to the Flagship. We're uploading it into your systems now."

Geno stared blankly ahead as he downloaded the information, blinking once it was complete. "Got it." Once the Bill Ship had sunk far enough, they hopped onto the nose and ran up the outer shell, bypassing as many cannons as possible. Zelda put up a shield around herself and the others when the cannons began to spurt Bob-ombs. Near the backside of the ship, there was yet another higher platform that served as a gun deck for the Bill Ship, just out of everyone's jumping reach.

"I'll take it from here," Peach said, jumping as high as she could. Zelda grabbed onto her legs, and Geno grabbed onto Zelda's legs. Peach slowly floated higher until they were on the upper deck. Four Hammer Bros. were waiting for them. Peach blew them away with a single Psych Bomb and everyone landed. Unfortunately, the extra damage sped up the Bill Ship's descent.

"Follow me," Geno said, running further toward the back. There was a rail just within reach that led to a nearby Doom Ship. An Arwing flew by and blew away the cannons, leaving the three heroes a clear path. As soon as the trio landed on the bow of the ship, Giga Paratroopas swooped out of the air to give them trouble. Geno used his Geno Beam. Zelda used her Shining Ray. And Peach used another Psych Bomb. Once the Giga Paratroopas had been suitably dispatched, Geno quickly led them toward the back of the ship. Instead of looking for a rail, they went into one of the hatches and walked down an incline to the underside of the ship.

There was yet another Doom Ship under this one. Geno fired a few shots down to get its attention. After drawing several Bullet Bills and cannonballs toward the ship, the three jumped down to the next Doom Ship, leaving the previous one to be shot down by the aforementioned projectiles.

Unexpectedly, a nearby Arwing burst into flames and exploded into the side of the Doom Ship, splitting the whole thing in half. "Grab on!" Peach exclaimed. They took hold of her and she began to float.

"How long can you keep this up?" Zelda asked.

"All day if I don't move," Peach said.

"But we're just sitting ducks like this," Geno frowned.

"Help is on the way," Daisy said over the radio. Her Arwing flew just below them and stopped in midair. "I can give you a little ride." They dropped down, with one princess on each ring and the robotic doll standing on the canopy. "Now, I can't do too many maneuvers, so you guys will have to cover me."

"I've never seen so many vessels," Zelda said, marveling at the seemingly endless number of ships. "Are we even close to the Flagship."

"Hold that thought," Geno said, seeing several Smart Bills lock onto their position. A beam of light shot out of him and into the air. In a second, a rainbow of beams rained down from the sky, taking out the missiles and damaging all the ships around them.

"Rose Leader," Control said. "We know you're a little busy, but Red Team needs support. There's a Paratroopa Ship giving them some serious trouble."

"Hold on, guys!" she said, boosting upward.

"Not so fast!" Zelda screamed, clinging to the wing. After going through a particularly large cloud, they saw a mini-war going on around a single Paratroopa Ship. Daisy immediately swerved out of the way of several stray Bullet Bills. Daisy fired a bomb at the head of the ship, but it only succeeded in clearing away the smaller cannons.

"That things tough!" Daisy said. She swerved again as a Mezzo Bomb detonated in midair. "I can't get close! We can't do much from here."

"Any weaknesses?" Geno asked.

"The engines are kinda exposed in the back of the upper deck, but no one can get near it. Too much fire power!"

"Maybe we can help?" Peach suggested.

"Nah," Daisy said. "You'd get shot up ten times over before even reaching it, even _if_ I managed to drop you off."

"I have an idea!" Zelda said. "Peach, use the Shining Star to energize me."

"Okay," Peach nodded. She summoned the Shining Star and powered her up.

Zelda's Triforce glowed brightly and everything around them froze in place. "Okay, Daisy. Drop us off right in front of the engine. You'll be stuck like everything else as soon as I let go, but you should be fine."

"Here we go," Daisy said, seeing the Shining Star beginning to fade. She skimmed over the shell of the Paratroopa Ship, seeing the numerous Blasters along the surface. Once they were over an opening in the shell, Peach, Geno, and Zelda, all holding hands, jumped down. Passing by much closer Blasters, they ducked into the enclosed, dark area where the generator was. Just before they could do anything, time restarted and the Blasters detected them and attempted to fire at them, only damaging the outer walls of the enclosure because of the bad angle.

Unfortunately, an alarm went off and the floor began to carry the three back outside like a conveyor belt. It got so fast that only Geno was able to move forward on foot. Peach floated and picked up Zelda. Geno charged himself up, grabbed Peach's hand, and actually began to cause smoke to rise from the increasingly fast floor. After getting within arm's reach, he saw a large red button on the generator that said, "Self-Destruct Button." A sign scribbled on the wall read, "Do Not Press."

"I hope there's a timer on this thing," Geno said, punching the button.

There was an immediate gigantic boom as the Paratroopa Ship flew to pieces. The ship was so large, the chunks of debris were guaranteed to cause severe damage to anything beneath it.

"Good timing with that shield, Zelda," Geno said as they flew through the air from force of the explosion. "I just hope Peach can give us a lift. How about it?"

Peach, now boardless, heard a whisper from the Millennium Star and smiled. "I can top that." She took her friends' hands and began to glow with holy power. "Cosmic…Control!" Her hair flared and they were off zooming through the sky at speeds that not even Geno could match on the ground. Everything around them was a blur. They even passed through enemy ships and explosions almost as if they weren't there. The distant sounds of explosions and the holes they had left in various vessels told otherwise.

"That way!" Geno shouted over the rushing wind. "Towards those dark clouds!" It was a giant cluster of clouds where the Koopa Flagship was. The closer they got, the thicker the black clouds seemed to be, and the more fortress-like the ships seemed to be.


	37. Flagship Fortress

**Flagship Fortress**

"Geno, Zelda, Peach," Central Control said, you're moving awfully deep into enemy territory. You're officially in Dark Land. No one else has gotten anywhere near that far. Use extreme caution because if anything goes wrong, you're on your own."

"What's the status of the Hyrulean Forces?" Geno asked, as they went deeper into the dark clouds.

"Better than expected," Control said. "But keep pushing forward. We'll try to get some back up for you as soon as possible. How are you going so fast anyway?"

"A new trick of Peach's," Geno said. "Over and out."

"Is that the Flagship?" Zelda asked, as the tangle of Piranha Plant structures and the tall fortress came into sight.

"It's humongous!" Peach gasped. She felt the Millennium Star's energy waning. "We're going to have find a place to land."

"Go for that vine! Rail! Whatever it is!" Zelda said, pointing to a metal "vine" that wasn't thorny.

They landed safely on the rail, though Peach had a little trouble balancing since she had lost her board in the destruction of the Paratroopa Ship. She soon slipped and slid along the rail in a sidesaddle position. A small explosion of unknown origin broke off the piece of railing they were on from the rest of it. Fortunately, they were over a floating gun deck and landed safely. The gun deck began to rumble and started to quickly sink. Whatever mechanism was keeping it in the air was apparently failing.

"Run for the spring!" Geno said, pointing to the spring tucked away between two large cannons. Each hopped on and was propelled high into the air and back onto the rest of the railing. Once they were truly over the surface of the Flagship, they saw that there was actually a gigantic lake of lava in the center of it. Most of the pieces of the ship besides the rails were just platforms and large gun decks hovering hundreds of feet over the lava.

When the vine somehow began to grow thorns up ahead, they were forced jump off onto a tall, but otherwise plain, flat platform. Suddenly, a giant Titanium Knuckle dropped out of a portal and onto the platform. It was twice as large as the average Iron Knuckle.

"I'll handle him!" Zelda yelled rushing it. She dodged the slam of its ax and slashed it in the side with the magical edge of her hands. She slashed its ankle as she jumped to the side to dodge another slam. When it tried to stomp on her, she rolled behind it and jumped onto its back. She pulled herself onto its head, jamming her Gilded Sword between the gaps in its armor. When it bashed its head in an attempt to strike her, it off-balanced itself. Zelda jumped off as it stumbled back and blasted it in the face with her Shining Ray, knocking it flat on its back. Using telekinesis, Zelda slowed her descent, pulled Peach toward her, and tossed her rear-first at the Titanium Knuckle. The explosion wasn't quite enough to destroy it, so Zelda came down hard on the ground, creating a pillar of fire under the Knuckle, eventually shattering it.

"What do you call that one?" Geno asked, once the fire disappeared and there was a hole in the platform.

"Din's Eruption," Zelda smiled. "He wasn't so tough."

"Wow, you've gotten strong," Peach said. "And so gentle. That didn't hurt at all."

"It took a lot of practice," Zelda said. "Where do we go now?"

Geno looked over the edge, seeing that there were a few more platforms down below. Looking forward, there seemed to be a metal canyon. The ship was certainly large enough to call it a canyon. "Peach, about how long would it take for another…what was it…"

"Cosmic Control? Neither of us is quite sure how it charges, so don't count on it."

"In that case, get us as far as you can towards that platform over there." They took hold of Peach as she jumped off and floated toward the platform several yards away. As they neared it, the platform began to fail and sink. Once it was low enough, Peach took a second to rest on the platform. When another platform came into sight, she took them to that one. With nowhere else to go, they rode it down a short way and got off on a platform that was actually connected to the rest of the ship.

Though there was no danger of the platform falling, it was filled with cannons. They fired Bob-ombs that exploded on contact with the ground. Zelda used her telekinesis to redirect the bombs into other cannons and soon all were destroyed. As they neared the close walls of the canyon, a large metal door came up over the space.

Two large, metal Beamos clanked onto the surface out of dark portals and opened their eyes wide. Energy collected in their pupils, so Zelda quickly put up her shield. The eyes blasted out sustained particle beams large enough to engulf an entire Arwing. One beam was red. The other was green. Though their combined force pushed Zelda and her friends back, they remained unharmed.

"They spared no expense," Geno grunted. "Zelda, bring down that door. Peach, help me take care of these two."

While Zelda strained to bring the door down with her telekinesis, Geno fired off his Star Bullets at one Beamos. It simply shut its eyelid and deflected all the bullets. Peach used her Peach Bomber, but simply by closing its eye, it remained unharmed.

"It's no use," Zelda said, panting. "I can't take down the door without completely exhausting myself…and possibly destroying this whole platform."

"That's fine," Geno said. "We'll just let these two do the work for us. Stand in front of the door, and just as they fire, teleport us out of their sights." All three moved over to the door. Once the Beamos opened their eyes to fire, Zelda teleported herself as well as Geno and Peach out of the two Beamos' trajectories. The door withstood the blast for a couple seconds before giving way and flying off its hinges.

They quickly walked into the "canyon" and saw that it was filled with death traps. The walls were lined with Blasters, cannons, Chain Chomps, and obvious trapdoors that would lead one to a dip in the lava.

"Zelda," Geno said.

"I know," she said, tossing a emptied flask of Maple Syrup she had just drank. "Peach."

"Shining Star, give her strength!" Peach yelled. The Shining Star empowered Zelda as her Triforce piece glowed. Once everything completely stopped moving, Geno took both their hands and dashed across the obstacle course. He went through the small canyon so fast that time was still frozen at the end. On the other side, there was a single cannon. It looked much smaller and different from the others.

"A dead end," Geno said, looking over the edge. The nearest platform was far out of reach. It was also at a much higher altitude than them.

"I have an idea," Peach said, jumping into the cannon. "Get in."

"That doesn't even _look_ safe," Zelda shook her head.

"It's worked before," Geno said, hopping in with her. Zelda relented and jumped in. After tilting the cannon to a proper angle, they were fired out in succession. After flying high over several platforms, they reached another stable ledge that seemed to lead to a room. As expected, another large door came up over the entrance and locked up tight.

This time, there were three large enemies that appeared. The one in the center was another giant Titanium Knuckle. The ones on the sides were what appeared to be Giga Hammer Bros. They had spiked shells, sharper beaks, narrower red eyes, and large sledgehammers.

"More company," Zelda said, enchanting her hands.

"And uninvited!" Peach yelled angrily.

"Let's take them out," Geno said, transforming into a cannon. They unleashed their attacks, only letting the enemies take a single step toward them. Zelda grunted and pushed all three back against the door. Peach flung out bomb after bomb on them. Geno detonated his Geno Flash. After the flashing and explosions stopped, there was nothing left of any the three bruisers. Even the door had fallen down, revealing a small room with some sort of control panel inside.

"We _have_ gotten stronger!" Peach cheered, drinking a flask of Maple Syrup from her pouch.

"Well, done," Geno said, as they walked into the room.

"I knew we could do it," Zelda said confidently. "Now, what is this thing?"

Geno was reading a note that had been taped to the wall next to the device. "According to this, it's a self-destruct device."

"I wouldn't think Bowser would be quite so foolish as to put something like this on his Flagship, especially since we're not even at the main tower."

"He isn't," Peach said, looking at the note. "This is my handwriting. Morel must have arranged this."

"That would be an extreme betrayal, don't you think? Blowing up the whole ship… Knowing her, it must be a big dud."

"Just to be safe," Geno advised, "better get your shield ready." Once Zelda had activated her shield, Geno flipped open the control panel and saw another conspicuously large red button, though this one was unmarked. After pressing it, the whole room rumbled violently.

One huge explosion later, they were flying high over the lava lake. The tower they had been in had been completely annihilated, though the rest of the ship was intact.

"I didn't think it would actually self-destruct," Geno admitted as they flew to a trio of metal vines that were at a steep angle.

"The rest of the ship doesn't look like it suffered at all though," Zelda said as they landed. Geno grinded along the middle rail, Zelda along the left rail, and Peach stumbling on the right rail. "I still can't comprehend how something this colossal can stay in the air."

"A little help, please!" Peach yelped, trying hard not to fall off as they went into a steep incline.

"Here!" Zelda said, materializing a flat plate of metal. "I retrieved one from earlier."

"Thanks," Peach said, grabbing the plate and jumping onto it.

"Loop," Geno warned. The vine went into a small loop. They had enough speed to make the entire loop and grinded down toward a large bridge of metal with three heavy cannons on them. The cannons were immobile, but placed in such a way that they had clear shots at any of the rails. After a quick scan of the cannons, he yelled, "Green laser, incoming!" He jumped onto Zelda's rail just as a sustained green particle beam disintegrated the rail he was on.

"Stay on guard," Zelda said, as they passed the bridge and approached yet another one. The middle rail had been destroyed up until that point, the angle disallowing the laser from destroying the whole thing. "We're getting close to the main tower." Indeed, they were actually somewhat above the altitude of the increasingly close tower with Bowser's head on it.

"Zelda, blue laser fire!" Geno said, hopping back onto the new middle rail. She quickly flipped over to the middle rail with him as a blue particle beam destroyed her rail. "Peach, red laser!" She easily jumped to the their rail with her board as the red laser engulfed her rail. Another unexplained explosion broke off the vines from up ahead, so they jumped. Somewhat below, there were multiple vines, each of which curved in front of one of several laser cannons.

"How many are there?" Zelda shouted as she saw several points of energy building. "One, two, three…four laser cannons!"

"I see eight laser cannons!" Peach yelled.

"Twelve lasers…" Geno said, as they continued to fall. "Everyone, right to left. Follow my lead."

They landed on the right-most vine as the energy charge in front of them built up. They hopped to the left as the blue energy blasted by them. The rail to the cannon targeting to the left of them was almost fully charged. Knowing that they would be trapped, Geno led them two rails to the left, just missing the green beam, while the red one fired soon after on the rail they been on previously.

"It'll take more than that to stop us," Geno said, leading them to the left with each laser blasting each rail they left.

"They must be getting desperate," Peach said as they reached the final rail and passed just out of the final laser's range. Along the final rail, they finished their slope and grinded straight toward Bowser's face on top of the tower. As they passed the two Chain Chomp structures, the gigantic metal statues came to life, broke away from their chains, and began to chase them along the rail.

"I'll say," Geno agreed. "Just keep moving and we should be fine." Then, his eye caught the sight of the Bowser structure's eyes glowing and a very large mass of energy building in its mouth. "You've got to be kidding…"

"That's not all," Peach said, pointing to the ultimate destination of the vines. The gigantic Piranha Plant head, which was previously assumed to be inanimate and mechanical, curved the vine toward its opening maw.

"Got anything for us, Peach?" Geno asked.

"Sorry, guys," Peach frowned worriedly.

"Let's see what I can do," Zelda said, spotting a platform just behind the Piranha Plant. She took hold of both her friends as they continued to grind to their eventual doom. The Bowser head fired a bright yellowish-orange beam out of its mouth that dwarfed the previous lasers. The Piranha Plant Head disintegrated along with the giant Chomps. All the rails strewn about the ship disintegrated like lit fuses.

Zelda, Peach, and Geno got up from the platform they teleported to now that it was safe and saw that there was yet another conspicuous self-destruct device. This time the accompanying note was in Hylian.

"I hope this works," Zelda said, flipping the switch and pressing the button. The platform rumbled just as before. But instead of the platform exploding, the Bowser head exploded. "That was useful. According to the note, we need to go to where the Bowser head was."

"Hey, we're ready!" Peach piped up as she began to glow with holy power again.

"I must say, this all seems awfully choreographed," Zelda sighed.

"Don't complain until something goes wrong," Geno smiled.

Peach grabbed them and began to float. "Cosmic…Control!" They flew straight for the remnants of the tower. It had been further away than they had thought, but Peach got them there quickly. Like much of the ship, they had underestimated its size. The top surface of the tower itself would have been more enough space for a large base.

Peach landed near the center because of something very peculiar they had noticed. In the exact center, there was a single Warp Pipe. Next to it was a sign reading, "Warp to Dark World from Dark Land. Pipe reserved for heroes and damsels only."

After Geno read it aloud, Zelda frowned and asked, "Is this a joke?"

"Geno," Peach said. "We'd better tell the others about this."

"Right," he said, staring blankly ahead. "Control? Control?"

"What's wrong?"

"Something's jamming the signal," he said, folding his arms. "I can't get into contact with anyone else. We really are on our own from here."

"Do you think the others are alright?"

"You know Daisy," Zelda said reassuringly. "She and the others should be fine. They're probably on their way here."

"So the question stands," Geno said. "Do we stay here and wait for back-up? Or do we go by ourselves and hope for the best."

"I vote we go now," Zelda said. "The sooner Ganondorf and Bowser are defeated, the sooner both our realms will be at peace."

"And you, Peach?" Geno asked, turning to her.

"I agree," she said, surprising both of them. "I want to get to the bottom of all of this. There was something wrong with Bowser even before he got the Star Rod. I want to know exactly what it is! And I'm willing to bet we'll find Mario and Link there too."

"Hmm," Geno thought. "Is it really necessary that we all go? Especially you, Peach."

"Oh, no!" she said assertively. "We're not splitting up again. I'm tired of seeing you disappear, leaving us wondering whether you're okay or not. And Zelda's the one who should stay behind anyway. She has the last Triforce."

"You have a point," Geno nodded.

"I'm going whether you two like it or not," Zelda said. "This is my destiny. What about you, Geno?"

"As much as I'd like to sit around doing nothing," he smiled, "the Star Spirits and Star Rod are my responsibility. Besides, every time I leave you two, you always manage to get into some sort of trouble. I'd like to join in as much of the action as you are."

"So, it's settled," Zelda nodded.

"Let's show them the power of teamwork!" Peach chimed.


	38. Into the Darkness

**Into the Darkness**

Ingrid stood at the edge of the dark forest, overlooking the lava pits of the Dark Land. The rest of the Sheikah were in the shadows behind her. There seemed to be very little going on in the ground battle. The Gorons were milling about the lava pits, having little trouble with the native Blaargs. The Gerudos and Hylians had already secured much of the land with the help of Landmasters and Blue Team in the air, which in retrospect were unnecessary. The only resistance they had met was that of native wildlife such as the Blaargs that dwelled in the lava and a few non-mutant Koopa forces.

"General, Ingrid," her radio buzzed. "What is your status? Have you captured the enemy castle?"

"Yes," she answered. "However, the number of enemy forces is anemic at best. No heavy resistance encountered; not a single mutant nor any of Ganondorf's minions have attacked. What is the status of the sky battle?"

"Rough, but stable," Control responded. "Unfortunately, we lost contact with your daughter, Geno, and Princess Toadstool soon after they reached the Flagship. The other infiltration units are meeting heavy resistance. It seems that all of the ships are completely automated, without any way to manually control them. On the good side, we have secured several ships containing Death Metal weapons."

"Hmm," she said, glancing into the forest. "Bring me a ship."

"Roger that."

"Sheik," she said.

He came out of the shadows. "You mastered the radio much faster than I ever did."

"Peach and the others may be in danger. The absence of soldiers here means that they must be concentrated elsewhere. All the Sheikah will use the warp point I set earlier to return to Hyrule. If Hyrule comes under attack from the soldiers who would otherwise be here, the Zoras will need the support."

"Right away," Sheik said turning to leave with the others.

"Wait," she said, grabbing onto his arm. "When _you_ get back, have one of the Sages take you into the Temple of Light. From there, you should be able to penetrate the Dark World. I only want you to do reconnaissance. If anything is going on there, I want to know about it as soon as possible."

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"I'm going to take a more direct approach," she said. "If they aren't in Hyrule or the Dark World, then they should be here."

* * *

As soon as Peach, Zelda, and Geno came out of the other end of the pipe, the pipe itself sank into the dirt floor and disappeared. The room was constructed of dark stone. It was likely that they were in a castle of some sort. The only source of light was a chandelier hanging on the relatively high ceiling of the circular, medium-sized room.

"I don't see any doors," Peach said, holding her arm as if she were cold.

"I sense something coming," Zelda said, taking a fighting stance.

Mounds of dirt began to come up all around them. Rotten, brown hands began to reach up out of the ground along the outer edges of the room. The ReDeads pulled themselves out of the ground and commenced their moaning. Zelda instinctively fired her Shining Ray at one, burning its face off and felling it easily.

"I'll take care of you," Peach said, taking out a Psych Bomb.

"No, Peach," Geno said, firing at one's head. "This room isn't that big. We don't want to risk a cave-in. Just leave this to me and Zelda." Zelda continued to slay the zombies with individual Shining Rays, while Geno kept the others at bay with his star bullets. As the last corpse fell over, Gibdos rose out of the ground to take their places.

"Don't look at their faces," Zelda warned as they got closer. While she continued to destroy the mummies in a similar fashion, Dry Bones began to dig their way into the room. Instead of coming after them, they threw their bones at the three with surprising accuracy. Zelda was burning extra magic turning her shield on between Shining Rays. Geno simply dodged them while trying to keep his aim on the Gibdos. Peach decided to help out by throwing turnips at the skeletons.

"Only intense heat is going to get rid of the Dry Bones," she said to the others.

"I can't get a powerful enough spell to do that without the risk of destroying the walls," Zelda said. "Just hold them off as best as you can." With each Gibdo that fell, a new one came to take its place. Some even revived themselves.

"We're being overwhelmed!" Peach yelled.

"But if we use more powerful attacks, we'll only get ourselves killed," Zelda replied, holding up her shield to drink another Maple Syrup.

"I have a plan," Geno said, retreating into her shield with Peach. "Peach, go airborne with Zelda. Zelda, stop time. I'll take care of the rest."

Once Peach had carried Zelda as high into the air as she could, she called out, "Shining Star!" Zelda received the power and began to freeze time. Meanwhile, Geno tossed up both guns to Peach and revealed the beam cannons within his arms. He spun, firing twin Geno Beams, destroying all the enemies around them as well as the walls of the room. Before the room could collapse, he and everything but Zelda and Peach were frozen in time.

"Clever," Zelda said, dropping down with Peach and picking up Geno. Once they got out of the room, they found themselves surrounded by frozen Giga Koopas, Moblins, Stalfos, and Bullet Bill Blasters that had taken damage from his attack. It was a larger room that had contained the previous one. There were many paths and stairways that led elsewhere.

"This way," Zelda said. "I can sense something over here." She led them up a long flight of stairs. As time returned to normal, they looked down and saw the previous structure collapse on itself thunderously and stir up a dust cloud that nearly reached them. The enemies were unaware that they had escaped.

Once they reached the top of the stairs, they encountered two metal Beamos. Before they could charge up for their particle beams, Zelda threw down a Deku Nut to stun them. The team passed onward into a dark hallway lined with only a few torches. There were many doors along the path. Zelda soon became less confident in her sense of direction.

"Something wrong?" Geno asked.

"I feel like…we're going nowhere," she frowned as she looked behind herself and then forward again. "It's such a strange feeling."

"Let's just pick a door, then," Geno said, walking to the nearest door. After opening it, he immediately slammed it shut and put his weight against it.

"What's wrong?" Peach asked. Her question was immediately answered when a weird red-eyed Bob-omb crashed through the wall. It had no feet, no fuse, and no wind-up key. It was perfectly round. Suddenly, it grew so large that it blocked their way back. It slowly began to roll toward them.

"I think it's time to run," Geno said. They easily outran the slow rolling bomb at first, but it quickly gained speed. If it didn't blow up on contact, it would surely crush them. "Hang on." Peach and Zelda took firm hold of his hands. He accelerated into a blur down the seemingly endless hallway. Even still, the bomb was gaining on them.

"I'll assume the Shining Star is still recharging?" Zelda asked, her feet flailing in the air behind her.

"Definitely," Peach said. "Maybe I can detonate the bomb early."

"A little late now," Zelda said as the bomb was already too close. "But I have an idea." Suddenly, the three disappeared and reappeared behind the bomb, letting it continue harmlessly down the hall.

"Good thinking," Geno said, as his body gave off steam. "I couldn't keep that up much longer."

"Let's pick another door," Peach said. As soon as she opened one, a jet of flame engulfed her and the door shut on its own. Peach sighed of relief. "It's a good thing this dress is fire proof."

"Your hair is on fire," Zelda said matter-of-factly.

"Ah!" Peach shrieked quickly patting out the fire.

"Zelda, it's your turn," Geno said. "Maybe you'll have better luck."

"Maybe," Zelda said, walking to another door. She was just about to open it, before thinking better of it. Instead, she blasted the door to pieces with a fireball, revealing it to have been another death trap, specifically an iron maiden, as spikes clinked onto the ground. After walking to another door, she simply touched it rather than opening it. The Triforce symbol appeared on the door and it opened harmlessly. After peeking inside, she whispered, "All clear." They walked into what was clearly an elevator.

"Warning," the elevator's computerized voice said. "Code Blue in effect. Access is restricted to passengers without proper identification. Please identify yourselves."

"Drow," Zelda said. "Morel and I have captured Geno."

"Hm?" Peach said.

"I see what she's doing," Geno whispered. "Just play along."

"Oh, uh, right," Peach said. "I'm Morel, just like she said."

"Identification method invalid," the computer said. "Please present subject 'GENO' for enemy identification." A camera lens opened next to the panel of buttons. Geno stepped in front of the camera. "Scanning."

"I hope this works," Peach said.

"Identification approved," the computer said with a pleasant chime. "Initiating Bowser Protocol 0167." The elevator seemed to be powering up.

"What's that?" Peach asked.

"Bowser Protocol 0167. All Class S, A, and B enemy units are to be immediately transported to Containment Facility."

Geno began to fade away. "I'll be fine," he said. "If Mario and Link are there, I'll work on getting them out." Finally, he disappeared.

"Specify destination," the computer said.

"The Containment Facility!" Peach yelled at the computer.

"Access denied to subjects MOREL and DROW."

"Easy," Zelda said to Peach. "What is the location of Ganondorf and/or Bowser?"

"Access denied."

"Where are the Star Spirits?"

"Access denied."

Zelda groaned agitatedly. "Where is access granted?"

"Personal Quarters and Dining Facility."

"What good does that do us?" Peach complained.

"Personal Quarters may have something useful," Zelda sighed.

"Cavern confirmed."

"Wait! I didn't say that!" The elevator sped downward, almost making them lose their footing. They fell over when it came to a sudden stop.

They stepped out and found that they were indeed inside a very large cavern. It was so massive, it could have easily been the entirety of the Dark World. The sky was made of colossal stalactites that were likely miles up. The Princesses themselves were up on a ledge miles above an abyss of stalagmites. The only other things on the ledge were two pipes and accompanying signs.

Zelda read the sign in Hylian. "To accept your place as the Princess of Destiny, walk this path and never look back. Fight for your right to the Triforce."

Peach read the other sign. "The Principality of Mushrooms may only enter here. Mercy will only lead to three exits: Doom, Death, and Despair. Fight for your right to live."

"This seems like a very obvious trap," Zelda said cautiously. "Whoever put these here is trying to split us up. After losing Geno, that's the last thing we need."

"I agree, but where else can we go?"

"It doesn't matter," Zelda said, turning toward back to the elevator. "Anywhere else, as long as it doesn't…"

"Something wrong?" Peach asked, turning with her. She gasped at the blank rock wall. The elevator was nowhere to be found. It was as if it had never been there. "What happened? Is it an illusion?"

Zelda felt the wall where it should have been and knocked on it. "It's no illusion. Someone's manipulated us this far and he or she isn't going to let us turn back. We'll just pick a pipe and go together."

"Yours sounds safer," Peach said, walking to Zelda's pipe. As she pulled herself up to jump inside, her eyes widened and she jumped away from the pipe. Her breaths became deep and her body quivered.

"Peach, what is it?" Zelda asked worriedly, rushing over. As Peach fell back and scooted away from the pipe, Zelda peeked inside and saw what it was. There seemed to be blood lining the interior. Before she could claim that it was just paint, she noticed that there seemed to be liquid blood in the darkness of the pipe itself. "Now, this is an illusion."

"Blood…" Peach gulped, moving behind her assigned pipe.

"Fine, we'll take your pipe down," Zelda said, walking to the other one. She looked inside and saw a strange white energy liquid. She reached in to touch it. "Ah!" she yelped, pulling back her burnt finger. The liquid crackled with electricity in response. "Peach, can you touch this?"

Peach looked inside and put her hand inside. It was as if there was nothing there at all. Her gloved hand was completely dry and unharmed when she took it out. Zelda became suspicious and walked back to her pipe and put her hand into the "blood." After pulling it out, it seemed as if there was nothing in there at all.

"You know," Zelda said. "It won't be so bad if you just close your eyes. If it is blood to you, it's still only blood." Peach gave her a blank stare that made her thoughts perfectly clear. "All right. Fine. You go into your pipe and I'll go into mine. Hopefully, we will regroup later."

"Hopefully," Peach said. "Good luck, Zelda."

"Be careful."

* * *

"All fighters," Daisy said over the radio. "Converge on the Flagship and attack!"

As the fighters began their assault on the Flagship, it responded with barrages of Smart Bills and cannon fire. On Daisy's signal, everyone unleashed a Nova bomb onto the ship. Though it obviously took damage, it did not seem to have much effect otherwise.

Down in the lava lake, Ingrid was hopping along stepping-stones and platforms that had fallen earlier. Despite the harsh environment, there were plenty of defenses here as well. Lava Bubbles would often leap out at her. Small spires of fire would spontaneously rise up into the air. Bullet Bill Blasters occasionally rose out of the lava and fired high-speed Bills at her.

When she reached the canyon area, she wall jumped her way up until she stood atop the canyon wall itself. She looked toward the main tower of the ship and saw that there were some gun decks that she could conceivably jump to. It would not take long to get there, especially since all of the cannons were occupied with the Arwings flying overhead. Many searchlights were scanning the sky. The base of the tower was within sight now, as was an obvious door.

"_I can't allow you to go any further," _Drow's voice echoed in Ingrid's mind. "_Turn back now."_ Ingrid simply ignored the voice and jumped to one of the bombed out gun decks. Drow appeared in front of her. "Last warning."

Ingrid readied her scythe. "Let's see if you're as good as everyone says you are. No more running away."

* * *

Geno had been sealed inside a stasis pod within the surprisingly large prison. He opened his eyes and began to scan the area. From his point of view, he was one of several people that had been captured. There were several mutated Yoshis in stasis right across from him. He heard heavy clanging footsteps approaching. Instead of an Iron Knuckle, it was an Eyegore, a strange creature with a large Beamos eye for a head and the body of a mechanical creature. It turned to Geno's glass and scanned with an infrared laser.

Geno flung out a Geno Whirl, which quickly beheaded the creature and caused it to explode. Geno quickly hopped through the broken glass and looked around. He appeared to be at the bottom of the massive facility. He couldn't even see the ceiling from where he stood. There were simply more stasis pods reaching up into the darkness.

After walking around for a bit, Geno found signs along the shelves of pods. He was currently in the "enigma" section. He smirked at the sign, thankful that his unorthodox characteristics were what allowed him to be unaffected by stasis. The Yoshis were in the "test" section, along with several other beings that looked familiar. There were clearly Toads who were in mid-mutation between Toad and Goomba. There were Zoras with toxic green skin and the appearance of swamp monsters. There was even a dark star.

Right around a corner, there was a security station with several Clubbas sleeping on the job, each holding a mace. Geno quietly walked by them and accessed the security system. After disabling the security drones, which were apparently Eyegores, Dark Armos, and a few Beamos, he looked into the video of security cameras. After milling through several intriguing, though useless images, he finally came across the image he was looking for.

The maximum-security area was a round platform hanging over a dark abyss. There were seven pillars around it, each holding an incapacitated Star Spirit in a black bubble. After switching camera angles, he saw that each of the pillars were actually incredibly large Beamos, which were thankfully deactivated. They were all aimed at the two pods in the center. One held Mario in complete suspension. The other held Link in a similar fashion. After looking up the area's location, he found that it was at the very top of the facility. It would take a while for him to get up there. Just for insurance, he put his finger into one of the terminals and linked up with the system, completely locking it. He pulled his finger out and quietly left the Clubbas to continue slumbering.

Geno smiled dryly as a thought came to him. "_Peach and Zelda should be seeing some action very soon by now. And here I am stuck in a stealth rescue mission."_


	39. Enemy After Enemy

**Enemy After Enemy**

As soon as Zelda dropped out of the pipe in the ceiling, she found herself in a rather terrifying area. The setting looked like a mix between a dungeon and an abandoned mine. The walls were all stained with blood and there were bloody shackles chained to them. There were crystals of Dark Matter jutting out of the walls and floor as if the area had been a mine for Death Metal ore.

As soon as she stepped out from underneath the pipe, she heard a strange sound and felt a dark presence quickly growing closer. She took out her sword and readied a Shining Ray. She suddenly jumped aside as a Wall Master landed where she had stood. She blasted it to pieces. She heard many similar noises now. She looked down the path before her and broke into a run. As Wall Masters landed behind her, she had to dodge Dead Hands that were beginning to reach out of the walls at her.

She turned around a corner, cutting away a Dead Hand. Unfortunately, she went right into the paralyzing stare of a ReDead. Despite the proximity of the ReDead, she was more concerned about the next Wall Master that was getting ready to drop in on her. After much struggling, she broke free of the paralysis and teleported behind the ReDead just as the Wall Master fell down. After covering the zombie's eyes and wrapping her arms around its neck, she struggled with it. Pulling and tugging with great effort, she managed to rip its head off of its decomposed neck and tossed it away. With the threat of more Wall Masters and Dead Hands coming for her, she resumed her sprint through the hellish dungeon.

As she approached another turn, a Floor Master walked around the corner and lunged to grab her. She teleported past it and continued to run. There was a straight path, but there were several Like Likes lined up along the hall. Zelda jumped onto the wall and bounded between the walls to avoid their grasping maws. She continued until she entered a large room with towering stalagmites scattered about. A stone door slammed down behind her and was instantly covered with a purple barrier.

"Target sighted," a computerized voice said. "Warning to subject ZELDA. Resisting capture will authorize lethal force."

"I thought you needed me alive," Zelda said, unconvinced.

"Observations indicate that fragmented item TRIFORCE becomes solid when in close proximity to other fragments, allowing for extraction from corpse."

"So the closer I get to Ganon, the more leeway he has to kill me."

"Affirmative. Deploying hunter units. Maintain current position and await detainment."

"I think not," Zelda said, walking forward into the forest of stalagmites. As she moved onward, she noticed a figure approaching. It appeared to be more Geno, though she could immediately tell that it was a fake just by seeing its blank eyes. It was clearly mechanical, but Zelda could sense a dark energy emanating from it, as well as elsewhere.

It suddenly spotted her and held up its arm. Zelda recognized the pattern Geno would usually use while charging. With approximately four seconds before he would fire, she dashed around several stalagmites toward it. Just as it fired a large beam, Zelda teleported above it and came down hard, unleashing a pillar of fire from beneath it. The fake doll was sent flying in burning pieces of plastic and metal. Zelda gripped onto a stalagmite and knew that more enemies would arrive to her position soon. She decided to play it safe and avoid combat.

* * *

Drow had found herself on the defensive. She had her sword drawn to block the frequent, aggressive strikes that Ingrid was making with her scythe. Drow tried to retreat back to a previous platform, but Ingrid simply attacked her in midair and slammed her downward. Drow caught herself on one of the platforms in the canyon and had to block again as Ingrid came down on her. 

When Drow teleported away, Ingrid simply resumed her trek to the Flagship's tower. Drow attempted to teleport in with a sneak attack, but Ingrid swung around with a huge slash. Drow ducked and rose with an upward slash. In one smooth movement, Ingrid did a twirling sidestep and bashed Drow in the back of her head with the pole of her scythe. Drow fell forward and teleported to escape what would have been a lethal strike.

"Don't tell me this is all I should expect," Ingrid said, twirling her scythe. "I was hoping for more of a challenge." With no response, Ingrid moved onward to the door of the tower. Suddenly, the door blew into her and knocked her clear off the platform, plummeting toward the lava. She felt a psychic force pushing her downward even faster than gravity was making her go. She broke free and moved the massive door beneath herself, using it as a platform. The platform splashed into the lava, but stayed afloat and intact.

A circle of fireballs appeared around her and tried to envelope her, but she made a shield to force them away. A wave of molten rock came up and tried to splash over her, but she negated it with sheer force. She jumped to the next platform and ran up a wall a short distance before jumping up the canyon. When a plate from the wall attempted to crush her, she teleported and appeared in front of Drow, who had been attacking from the top of the canyon wall, and sucker-punched her.

They clashed weapons and in simultaneous parry, lost them a short distance away. Drow then began teleporting around her in quick succession, landing a punch or a kick each time. Suddenly, Ingrid caught her with a solid punch in the chest. As Drow flinched, her opponent kicked her in her stomach, and the clone doubled over. The Death Sage knocked her on her back with an open-palmed thrust to her face.

An explosion went off overhead as a particle beam cannon was destroyed and thunder boomed in the sky. The barrel of the cannon crumbled away from its emplacement and fell by them, down towards the lava. Drow desperately attempted to keep her back with a full blast of telekinesis, but Ingrid countered with her own. In a move that caught her opponent off guard, Ingrid suddenly switched from pushing to pulling and dragged Drow by her leg with her as she skidded back. Drow attempted to teleport, but Ingrid's grip was too strong and prevented her from going anywhere. So instead, she tried to copy Ingrid and pulled her straight toward her.

It backfired as Ingrid clocked her in the face and floored her once again. As Drow attempted to get up, Ingrid planted her foot on her chest to keep her down and clasped her hand over her mouth. "You're better than Zelda, I'll admit…but still a disappointment."

Suddenly, a falling star slammed into Ingrid and knocked her some distance away. Drow slowly got up but screamed as Ingrid's scythe came whirling at her with telekinesis. She closed her eyes in fright. Before it could slice into her neck, there was clang. When she opened her eyes, she saw a strange glowing yellow sword blocking the scythe, which was still shaking as it attempted to continue forward. The yellow sword looked as if it were made of liquid light, almost as if its very sheen and polish could drip off.

"_You_," Ingrid growled angrily as she slowly got up.

"I can't let you kill her," the holder of the sword said, cloaked in white. "Not in her condition. She's pregnant."

"I was aware of that," Ingrid said, letting her scythe return to her. "What happens to her child is no concern of mine."

"You haven't changed a bit."

"Who…who are you?" Drow asked the cloaked woman shakily.

"Fulfill your mission, Drow," the cloaked woman said. "I will make sure that this one does not interfere."

"Oh, no you don't!" Ingrid said, teleporting next to Drow and spraying the black mist over her. The aura of the golden sword repulsed the darkness and the blade was soon at Ingrid's throat. Drow quickly made her retreat and teleported.

"Your fight is with me," she said as Ingrid backed to a safer distance.

"I've been waiting twenty years for this," Ingrid said with a small smile. "All the more sweet that I now know you to be an evil witch. Let's see the true power of the Wanderer."

* * *

When Peach exited the pipe, she found herself in a predictably dark complex. The floor was a shiny blue and almost seemed to be giving off light on its own. There were catwalks high up in the darkness and large chemical containers with ladders on them. The only real sources of light, except possibly the floor, were strange glass pods that had bubbling water in them, almost like empty fish tanks. The room was too dark to see any walls or ceiling. 

After wandering around for a bit, Peach heard footsteps echoing in the darkness ahead of her. Peach cautiously approached and stopped at one of the glass pods. At first, she thought the image in the pod she saw was just a reflection, until she realized that the other young woman moved independently of her.

"Oh, Morel. It's you," Peach said as her clone walked around the pod and stood before her. "What are you doing here? Hey, did you lose weight?"

Her answer was a punch in the face. As she stumbled back, the clone continued to pummel her, mostly aiming for her head. Already in a daze, Peach tried to guard against the punches, but the clone grabbed her and forced its knee into Peach's stomach. Peach fell flat on her back. As she tried to get to her feet, the clone kicked her down and jumped onto her. Peach instinctively held her arms up over her face. Her doppelganger grabbed her throat and squeezed so tight that Peach couldn't even squeak.

As Peach tried to loosen her grip, she found that her assailant had an iron grip. Looking into her eyes, Peach found empty eyes that had nothing more than absolute focus on ending her life. There was no joy, no sadness, and no anger. There was nothing but pure concentration. Peach's attempts to retaliate only made her realize that the clone was not only choking her; she was draining her energy as well.

Peach closed her eyes in a silent prayer to the Shining Star. Seemingly sensing it, the clone jumped away from her as Peach projected an aura of fire. "You're not Morel, are you?" Peach asked, standing up and catching her breath. The clone simply stood there, making no attack or answer. "You're just another fake me." Peach took out a single Psych Bomb and lobbed it at her.

The clone tried to dodge it, but was engulfed in the explosion. Once the smoke cleared, Peach was surprised to see the clone still standing, despite all the damage she had sustained. It still refused to make a move. Peach used another Psych Bomb. Afterward, the clone was on the floor, blackened by the explosion. She soon struggled to her feet and took her neutral stance once again, though she seemed to be having much more trouble staying up.

"I don't want kill you if I don't have to," Peach said. "If I let you be, will you leave me alone?" There was no response, not even a shift in stance. Peach, still managing to keep up her fiery Rage mode, slowly approached her. The clone backed away, but maintained the same proximity. Peach walked past her and continued on her way, but heard the clone keeping pace with her. Peach frowned in annoyance and sighed. Her flame soon faded.

The clone immediately dashed straight at her, ready to punch her. Peach rekindled her fire and the clone tried to stop. Peach grabbed onto her and held on tight, closing her eyes so she wouldn't have to see her attacker burned alive. To her surprise, there was no screaming. There was only desperate struggling, kicking, punching, and clawing. Finally, Peach felt nothing but dust blow across her and opened her eyes. The only thing that had remained was her charred jewelry and crown. With no more will to keep up her Rage, her fire disappeared.

"Looks like you actually learned from that training disc," Morel said from one of the catwalks high up. She was sitting on the railing, dangling her feet.

Peach looked up at her and frowned upon seeing an amused smile on her face. "That wasn't right what I just had to do. Why are you smiling?"

"Because I'm impressed," Morel replied. "I didn't think you would actually have the will nor the power to do that."

"Are you going to force me to do the same thing to you," Peach asked guardedly.

"I know that would be much harder on you," Morel said. "And I do have orders to kill you…but screw Bowser!" she said spitefully. "That bastard threatened to kill me if I let you through and then he had the melons to tell me that I wasn't your only clone. Why should I put my neck on the line for that jerk?"

"If that's how you feel, why don't you help us?"

"Because then he _would_ kill me," Morel said with a somewhat nervous laugh. "And in my condition, that's not an option. Besides, you just might make it. If you really did learn as much as Honey and I had hoped, you should at least survive until you get to Bowser. So, I'll just sit back and enjoy the show. You might want to heal yourself."

Peach heard more footsteps and saw more of her clones approaching, each with same expression as the previous one. "There's more?!" Peach gasped, quickly healing herself.

"Oh, yeah. Lot's more," Morel said, getting back on the catwalk. "But if you manage to survive them, this little bit of info might be useful. About a kilometer in that direction, there's an elevator that can take you to Bowser. Just choose Vault Zero."

"How can these things tell the difference between me, you, and each other?" Peach said, trying to quickly build up her Rage.

"Technically, they're bio-androids," Morel said, checking her earring idly. "Made of biological parts, but with Koopa-made programming. They can recognize friendlies, enemies, and neutrals. Check this out. Peach clones, identify primary objective."

They all answered in simultaneous monotone, "To destroy Princess Peach Toadstool, also known as Queen Peach T. Koopa. Priority One."

"What's the matter, Peach?" Morel asked, still with a smile. "Did you burn out your Shining Star's energy in that last Rage? You'd better do something quick. You don't want them to use their Psych Bombs."

Peach groaned in frustration and rushed the nearest clone. Although she attempted to slap her, the clone grabbed her arm and threw her over her shoulder. Peach rolled to her feet and began to spin. The clone that tried to attack her, backed away as the blades in Peach's dress cut her. Once Peach stopped spinning, she caught both of the clone's hands before she could be struck. Instead of being completely restrained, the clone kicked Peach in the stomach, breaking the hold.

The clone then elbowed her in the stomach and crouched as a second clone jumped over her back, took Peach up into the air, and body slammed her. Once again, Peach was being choked. The other clones joined in on the beating.

"_Come on, Peach,"_ Morel hoped to herself. "_You can beat these fakes. You've got everything you need."_

"Ha!" Peach yelled as all the clones were blown away from her. She was engulfed in a pink aura this time. "You can't beat me when I have the Millennium Star."

Morel silently sighed of relief. She knew that the clones did not recognize Peach's current state and would default into attacking in futility. The clones jumped at her again and though they managed to knock Peach around a bit, Morel knew that Peach was not actually being hurt at all.

"Morel," Peach asked, floating up to her. "You said that way, right?"

"Mmhm," she nodded. "You might want to take care of them first though."

"Right," Peach said, flaring her aura. She began to throw a flurry of bombs down at the helpless clones.

Once they were no longer moving, Morel said, "Don't think this is the end of the death traps. Be careful and don't die."

"Thanks," Peach said. "Send my best wishes to Drow."

* * *

Geno sighed wearily as he reached the fiftieth floor. Even though his body prevented him from getting tired, it wore on his spirits. Seeing so many prisoners had not helped either. Along the way, he had seen so many familiar faces. Most of them were from months ago when Bowser had just gotten started trying to take over the world. Goombario and his family, almost all of the inhabitants of Koopa Village, several Piantas, and even Bow and her loyal Boos. He would have been happy to free everyone, but he knew the Dark World would be too dangerous for most of the prisoners. 

As he passed by yet another elevator that was actually just an exit into the maze-like fortress, he suddenly saw the doors opening and quickly ducked around a corner. He held his hand as if his finger were the barrel of a gun. His Finger Shot was the closest thing he had to a silenced gun. He didn't hear anyone or anything exit, but he suspected otherwise.

He swung around the corner, ready to shoot. He found his finger aimed directly at Sheik's eye. Coincidentally, Sheik had his knife at Geno's throat. Upon recognizing one another, they took their weapons away and sighed of relief.

"What are you doing here?" Geno asked. "Aren't you supposed to be on the ground in Dark Land with the others?"

"I was sent to look for you, Peach, and Zelda," Sheik answered. "There wasn't much of a ground battle. The castle was all but abandoned. Hyrule wasn't under immediate attack either. Unless something is going to happen soon, I'm not sure what to expect. Where are the others anyway?"

"We got separated," Geno said. "I was taken here, but I plan on releasing Link and Mario…whenever I reach the top floor that is."

"Let me come with you," Sheik said. "Maybe I can help?"

"This assignment is a test of endurance and will. It's best suited for an artificial body. If I knew where Peach and Zelda were…" He stopped talking as a Clubba began to pace toward them, investigating the voices. "I think he may have your answer."

"Understood," Sheik said, flicking a kunai at the Clubba's knee. As it fell over in pain, Sheik pounced on it and held a knife up to its face. "Where are Peach and Zelda?"

"They've been separated," the creature whimpered.

"Where?" Sheik growled, pressing the flat side of the knife against its face.

"I only know about Peach! She's going to Vault Zero. But I wouldn't go if I were you."

"Well you're not me," Sheik said, dropping sleep powder on him, putting him to sleep.

"The elevators should get you there," Geno said. "I disabled the security protocols, so you should be able to go straight there. I'll keep going. Good to see you again, Sheik."

"Hopefully, it won't be the last time," Sheik nodded, stepping into the elevator.


	40. Trickery

**Trickery **

Zelda stealthily jumped from stalagmite to stalagmite, choosing to avoid moving along the ground where most of the units were. She had avoided most of the Geno Androids, only destroying those that had spotted her. She noted that they're abilities were more limited than Geno's. Besides a few explosive Rocket Punches and some Finger Shots, the only special attack they had was a fake Geno Beam.

After a while, she stopped seeing any of them, but she decided to remain on the rocks just in case. Suddenly, the stalagmites began to collapse. She was forced to jump back to the ground. As she tried to peer through the cloud of dust swirling around her, she sensed a presence. When the dust cloud abruptly spread away, she saw her clone standing in front of her.

"Drow?" she said reflexively. She quickly realized that it was not who she thought it was. There was no presence of mind in this being. There was only power and magic in this individual. "So, there's another one." When she felt the clone taking psychic hold of her, Zelda instantly crushed her with her own superior ability. The clone crumpled onto the floor, quickly creating a puddle of blood.

"Disappointing," Drow said, teleporting in and leaning against an overturned stalagmite. She was panting somewhat hard and she looked as if she was in pain. "I was hoping that my so-called 'sisters' would put up a better fight than that."

"What happened to you?" Zelda asked, staying on guard.

"Your mother," Drow said with a pained smile. "She almost killed me."

"Have you ever heard of karma? You should consider yourself lucky the other Sages weren't there with her."

"I don't need a lecture from _you_," Drow sneered, sinking into a sitting position. "I'm just here to check on your progress."

"It's going swimmingly," Zelda said, stepping toward her. "Do you plan to change that?"

"Not yet," Drow said, pulling a Max Mushroom and Royal Syrup from Zelda's pouch. After consuming them, she locked Zelda into her hold.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Zelda yelled, struggling against her.

"You _have_ gotten stronger," Drow marveled reservedly, feeling Zelda resist her. "There are quite a few more androids out there waiting for you. Why don't I just speed up your progress?" She suddenly threw Zelda screaming across the landscape like a cruise missile.

Zelda saw many Geno Beams charging down below, likely alerted by her screaming. They would never hit her at the speed she was going. She began to descend toward a steel door. She suddenly stopped and was set down gently.

"_Follow the lights on the path,"_ Drow's voice said. "_If Peach is still alive, you should meet up with her soon."_

Zelda growled agitatedly. Before the other clones and androids could catch up, she lifted the door with telekinesis and slipped inside.

* * *

Peach exited the elevator and into the supposed Vault Zero. Like the rest of the Dark World, it was extremely dark. However, this area started with a room that seemed almost like an aquarium. There was blue light coming through the glass of what seemed to be a giant fish tank around the room itself. Peach found the light pretty, but eerie. The water was devoid of anything beyond a few bubbles.

She was startled upon hearing something moving through a vent above her. She backed away and prepared a single bomb. The vent cover popped off and Sheik landed before her.

"Oh," Peach sighed. "It's just you. I thought I would have to fight another clone or something."

"Clone?" he asked, stepping toward her. "You mean there are more?"

"Yes, I had to fight them earlier," Peach said. "I was lucky to have my stars with me."

"I'm sorry," he said, suddenly pulling her into an embrace.

"Sorry for what?" she asked, blushing.

"That I wasn't there for you," he said quietly. He arched forward, moved his veil and began to kiss her neck. "I'm so sorry." He continued to peck at her neck, even nibbling a little.

She giggled, "Sheik… That tickles! I don't think we should do this here…Sheik…Sheik… We should really stop… I mean…ooh."

"Hmm?"

"Don't mind me," she said breathlessly, as he embraced her tighter. Her mind was in a tizzy and she felt slightly dizzy. She was startled when she heard the elevator doors open behind her. She felt a rush of air and felt someone behind her. Sheik suddenly squeezed her painfully.

"Let her go," she heard Sheik's voice behind her. "Peach, snap out of it! It's a trick!"

"Wha?" Peach said, regaining her senses. She craned her neck and saw Sheik standing behind her, holding onto his double. Specifically, he was keeping his doppelganger from sinking his poison-laced, blue-tipped teeth into her neck. Peach immediately tried to break away, but found an iron grip similar to that of the Peach clones. "Let me go!"

Sheik could only move the other's head away from Peach's neck, but he could not force him away. Peach stomped on his feet, but he still didn't budge. One of his arms was wrapped around her back, while the other was around her waist. His grip was only growing stronger. Peach grunted and managed to knee her assailant in the groin. It had little effect, but she continued. She stopped when her knee began to throb, but the fake Sheik did not let up at all.

"What's wrong with this guy?" Peach groaned. "It's like he's got a steel guard between his legs!"

"A codpiece!" Sheik said. "It's not a man. Use your Mute Spell."

Peach focused and the fake Sheik soon reverted into a fake Zelda. "Zelda?!"

"It must be another one of those clones," Sheik said.

Peach's arms were useless at this range, so she headbutted the clone. It flinched, signaling that it was working. Peach grunted and began repeatedly butting her. Though the clone was losing steam, Peach was getting dizzy from the repeated impacts. "I can't take much more of this!"

"Can you hold her head back for a few seconds," he said, letting Peach hold the clone's head back. Without Sheik's added strength holding the doppelganger back, the clone's teeth were slowly getting closer to Peach's neck. Sheik took Peach's crown off her head, slipped behind the clone, and bashed her in the back of the head with it as if it were brass knuckles. The clone fell unconscious against Peach.

Sheik dragged it over to the elevator and tossed it inside. After pressing a button to send it upward, he used the crown as a wedge to keep the doors open. After it had gone up some distance, Sheik cut the cord of the elevator and pulled out the crown to let the doors close. A few seconds later, there was a loud crash behind the closed doors.

"Fooled me twice, shame on me," Peach sighed.

"All that matters is you're safe," Sheik said, taking a bandage off one of his fingers. "Excuse me," he said. He put his mouth to her neck and sucked out the poison, before spitting it out behind himself. He then rubbed the bandage against her neck, gently wiping away the residue. "It didn't seem to be anything that bad. You should be fine." He saw Peach blush and smile as he continued to swab. "What is it?"

"I don't know," she said, putting her hands behind her back. "I just feel good. It's a weird kind of feeling…but a good feeling."

"Maybe, I should clean a little more," he said, swabbing wider area. "Did he…she…it kiss you anywhere else?"

"No, just that spot," Peach said, glowing pink briefly. "My powers can nullify poison, remember?"

"Ah, I forgot," he said, tossing the cloth away.

"Don't worry about it. It felt good anyway."

"The cloth or the kiss?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Both," she said, playfully bumping her hip into him.

"I'll take that into consideration," he smiled, putting the crown back on her head.

As they walked through the next few rooms, all of which were more or less identical, Peach said, "You know, these rooms are kind of romantic. If it weren't so dangerous, I might think…"

"Hmm?"

"Nothing," she giggled. "Let's just stay focused…" They stopped walking as they came across an identical couple that seemed equally shocked. Peach and Sheik could not help but distance themselves from one another as a precaution.

"I've had just about enough of this trickery," the Sheik on the other side of the room said. "Peach, whichever of you is the real one, use your Mute spell."

"That's just what I was going to say," said the first Sheik.

Both Peaches nodded and cast their spells. Nothing happened as the Mute spells apparently canceled each other out.

"Damn," both Sheiks said.

The Sheik on the opposite side continued, "Maybe we should do something to prove who we are."

"Like what?" the Peach on the opposite side asked.

"Ask and answer questions that only the real Peach and Sheik would know," the first Peach said.

"I agree," the first Sheik nodded. "First question, impostor. At what age did my spirit fuse with Zelda's body?"

"Wait," the first Peach asked. "How do we know there aren't three clones?"

"Let's not get too paranoid," the first Sheik said more to himself than the others. "There's got to be a way to figure this out."

"Now I know," the first Peach said. "I have my Shining Star." The recharging star appeared dimly above her.

"I can do that, too," the other said. An identical star appeared above her.

"Whoa!" an echo came from the ceiling. Zelda suddenly fell through the vent and landed on the floor. "What's going on here?" She instantly pinned all four of them against the walls with her telekinesis.

"Wait, Zelda!" the first Peach cried.

"It's me!" the other squealed.

"At least one of us is real," the Sheik on the opposite side said. "The other Sheik is probably a Zelda clone."

Zelda folded her arms and let them all down. "Hmph. We'll see." She beckoned for the Sheiks to stand side-by-side. She swiftly kicked the first one in the crotch and he doubled over, falling to the floor moaning. When she kicked the other one and felt a clang, with an obviously false display of pain, she fatally twisted his neck.

Sheik was still on the floor and groaned, "Couldn't you have found a better way than that?"

"Probably," Zelda said, motioning for the Peach's to step forward. "I want both of you to undress down to your undergarments."

"What?!" both of them balked.

"Would you prefer that Sheik and I do it for you?" she asked. She frowned when they both peered at Sheik thoughtfully. "Oh, for Din's sake… Just do it!"

"How do I know you aren't a clone yourself?" Sheik asked cautiously.

"Because the clones aren't wearing this," Zelda said, lifting her dress and showing off the black tights underneath. "And if I were a clone, I would have killed you earlier on and not wasted time with this bloody charade!"

"Calm down. It was just a question. I don't know what the point of this is, though."

The two mushroom princesses removed their dresses, while Zelda watched carefully, readying a fatal blow.

"Black undergarments on both," Zelda noted thoughtfully. "Sheik, cut off their bras."

"Ohhh, no," Sheik said, turning around. "That's where I draw the line."

"Aren't you going a little far?" the second Peach asked.

"There has got to be a more honorable way to do this," Sheik sighed.

"I don't mind, Sheik," the first Peach giggled, getting the same look from both Sheik and her twin. "Go ahead. Either one."

"Okay," Sheik relented. "Just…turn around…both of you. I'm just going to do this at the same time and get it over with."

"Do you have previous experience with this," the second one asked nervously.

"Not in the way you think," he said, taking out two knives. "One time, the royal tailors gave Zelda a bra so small that I cut it off because it was tighter around the shoulders than it was the bust. It looked more tube top than a bra. It was easier just not to wear one. It's not as if she needs any extra support." Zelda plucked the back of his head. "Right, sorry." He cut the back of one bra, but the other would not sever. "That's strange."

"That's all we need," Zelda said, crushing the topless fake's spine. "The fake is revealed."

Peach turned around and hugged Sheik. "It takes a lot more than a knife to get these off. I can't even get them off myself."

"That's a little extreme, don't you think?" Sheik asked, holding her.

"It was Daisy's idea," Zelda said. "Peach, get dressed so we can continue. I sense something on the other side of this door."

After Peach had gotten dressed, they walked into the next room. It was large and rectangular, like an empty warehouse. On the far side, there were clearly two boss doors. One had Bowser's face over it. The other had a Triforce emblem. All three glanced at one another, knowing what this meant.

As they walked out into the center of the room a deep, but feminine voice exclaimed, "Halt!" They came to a sudden stop. A shadow slithered out of the darkness and rose up before them into a human-sized Great Fairy of the Depths. A column of light appeared next to her and the Shining Fairy descended out of it.

"Ah, you two," Sheik said. "What a pleasant surprise. Have you come to help us?"

"I'm afraid not," the black one said. "On the contrary, we've come to stop you."

"Huh? Why?" Peach asked.

Zelda frowned, "Don't tell me you've been corrupted."

"Oh, no such thing," the white one said. "We are simply acting in everyone's best interest. We don't think it very wise for you to fight Ganondorf and give him the chance to take the last piece of the Triforce."

"I have the Sages on my side," Zelda said.

"And Geno is rescuing Link as we speak," Sheik added.

"We are aware of that," the dark one said. "However, it is not only the Triforce that worries us. Are you aware that there remains only one final piece to the Forbidden Seal? You forgot all about it, didn't you?"

"There wasn't much we could do," Peach argued.

"The last rule states that evil must never possess the entire Triforce," the Shining Fairy said. "If Ganondorf takes the last piece…"

"It won't happen," Zelda said. "I promise. We'll work together."

"By going through separate doors?" the Fairy of the Depths asked. "Even if you could take both Peach and Sheik with you, the risk is too great."

"Well, I'm going whether you like it or not," Zelda asserted. "It is my destiny." She began to walk past them, until the Great Fairy of the Depths slid in front of her.

"Stop!" she said, turning her fingers into spikes. "We will take action if necessary."

"We don't want to fight you," Sheik said.

"Neither do we," the Shining Fairy said. "Sheik, Peach, though I would recommend against it, you are free to engage Ganondorf and Bowser. Zelda is the only risk."

Peach frowned. "Surely there has to be some way we can compromise on this. What would be your conditions for letting all of us go together?"

"There will be no compromise," the dark one said. "She isn't going."

"Pretty please?" Peach asked sweetly.

"Sister…" the light one said in a reminding tone.

The other groaned slightly. "Excuse us a moment." They floated some distance away and began to whisper to each other.


	41. Fighting of the Spirit

**Fighting of the Spirit**

"Princess Daisy!" Central Control said urgently. "We're getting reports from everywhere about Koopa forces invading!"

"What? Where?" she asked, veering out of the way of a particle beam. "Blue Team hasn't had any trouble."

"Muda, Birabuto, Beanbean Kingdom, Jewelry Land, Wo, Kitchen Islands, Isle Delfino, Dinosaur Land, just about everywhere ma'am!"

"You mean this fleet was just a distraction! We haven't even taken this Flagship down!"

"What should we do?" another Rose asked.

"Don't panic," Daisy said. "Control, get the fleet where it needs to be. Rose Squadron will handle this sucker. Alert the Hyrulean forces that they might be having trouble back home."

"Roger that. Keep on the look out for Ingrid. She should be up there somewhere on foot. Angel Squadron, pick up all infiltration units for dust-off. I repeat, all infiltration units are to make a full retreat."

"I think I found someone," Daisy said, skimming along the surface of the Flagship. Luigi was jumping from platform to platform to escape the mutant Buster Beetles tossing entire platforms at him. She hovered for a second and blasted away all the Beetles and offered a wing to Luigi. He scrambled on. "Come on in," she said, opening the hatch enough for him to slip inside with her.

"It's crazy out there!" he said, falling into her lap. "Hey, there's no room in here!"

"Sorry, it's a one-seater," she smiled. "As long as I can see and control the ship, we're good."

"Who's that down there?" he asked, pointing to two figures clashing blades on a platform.

"The one with the scythe is Zelda's mom. Not sure about the other one though. Man, look at 'em go."

Ingrid broke into a spin-slash and the Wanderer was knocked back by the wave of magic. Ingrid vertically spun her scythe, and the Wanderer kept her distance. Ingrid sneered, "You're holding back. I can tell."

"It's not my intention to kill you," her opponent said, backing to the edge of the platform.

"Well, it is _my_ intention to kill _you_," Ingrid said, blowing her off the platform with telekinesis. Ingrid jumped down after her, landing at the edge of the lava lake. "You humiliated me!" she said with a slash.

The Wanderer made a solid parry and just missed slicing at Ingrid's cloak. "Conceiving a child with the man you love is nothing to be ashamed of," she said. "And neither is admitting defeat when you are in no condition to fight."

"You don't know what shame is!" Ingrid shot back, parrying and slamming her scythe into the metal floor, actually sending a small tremor through ground. "Not yet, at any rate."

"Of all the silly things to be so vengeful about," the Wanderer frowned, pointing her sword skyward. Ingrid dodged the lightning bolts and would have sliced her opponent's neck had the Wanderer not immediately ducked and rolled to the side. Ingrid tried to pierce her on the ground, but the Wanderer put up her sword to block just in time. They strained against each other, but the Wanderer was on one knee and at a height disadvantage.

"It's not just that," Ingrid said, giving off black mist that could not come close to the golden sword. "You tried to steal Heinrich from me. Don't think I didn't see you flirting with him."

"You know he's a lady's man," she said, forcing Ingrid back with a push. "I had no romantic interest in him. He flirted with just about every pretty, young thing in the court." They rushed at one another, clashing blades, each attempting to bypass the other's weapon and hit.

"You tried to manipulate him into making the infantry stand down," Ingrid retorted, thrusting the pole forward. The Wanderer jumped on the pole and kick-flipped off of Ingrid's face.

"I was working toward peace," she said as Ingrid regained her composure.

"And yet you killed countless soldiers!" Ingrid said, purposely missing a thrust. When the Wanderer attempted to capitalize, Ingrid pulled it back and tripped her up from behind with the blade. The Wanderer rolled side to side to avoid being impaled by the scythe. Suddenly, she swept Ingrid up with her own feet. Ingrid caught herself with one hand and flipped back into a standing position, while the Wanderer did the same. "Face it, Wanderer. You're even more of a cold-blooded bitch than I am. You just don't want to admit it."

"I don't regret doing my duty to serve justice," the Wanderer said calmly. "The number of fatalities it takes to attain peace is nothing compared to what it could be otherwise." Ingrid rushed at her and broke into a whirling motion. As the Wanderer attempted to duck, Ingrid spun low on one foot, using the other to kick her repeatedly. She suddenly teleported behind the Wanderer. As the Wanderer spun around and slashed, Ingrid ducked low and uppercut her with her free hand. She followed up with several other jabs and tried to slash her, but the Wanderer sidestepped the final blow and elbowed her. Ingrid pulled held her close, using the pole to choke her against herself. She let her go to avoid her flailing sword.

Using her telekinesis, she threw herself at the Wanderer, getting a minor cut on her arm in the process, but she managed to catch her off guard enough to grab her by her face with her hand over her mouth. She wasted no time in sending the black mist surging through the Wanderer's body. The Wanderer moaned painfully, dropping her sword. However, she began to kick Ingrid repeatedly. Eventually, Ingrid threw her into the wreckage of a large cannon. She then telekinetically lifted the whole thing and smashed it on the Wanderer's head. Surprisingly, the cannon broke in half, while the Wander simply fell to her hands and knees.

"I'll see you in Hell," Ingrid said, arching back her scythe and aiming for her neck. The following swing was so hard it sent the Wanderer's body flying into the lava. Ingrid could not help but smile with satisfaction, almost feeling giddy. Then the metal of her blade cracked and shattered. Apparently, her opponent had been more durable than she had previously thought, not that it mattered anymore.

Unexpectedly, the Wanderer rose out of the lava. Dripping with molten rock, she landed at the lake's edge, her cloak in flames. Her skin and hair were completely unharmed. Ingrid could see the sheen of some form of armor beneath the burning cloak.

"What are you?" Ingrid asked, feeling the slightest tinge of fear.

"A servant of justice," the Wanderer said. "I've destroyed many people who underestimated me, Bowser's parents included. I'm no mere mortal. You don't have what it takes to kill me. So, just give up."

Ingrid grunted and held up her former scythe, now a staff. "I'm the Sage of Death. Of course I can kill you." She tried to pick up the sword the Wanderer had dropped, but she quickly had to toss it away as it gave off an uncomfortable feeling upon touching it. She made sure to toss it into the lava.

"That sword, Evil's Fall, was forged from my blood," the Wanderer said passively. "You can't destroy it so easily. Even still, I will use a more appropriate weapon." She gripped an invisible handle. Particles of light gathered and a hilt formed in her hand, along with a monstrously large blade. It was larger than Ingrid herself, and looked twice her weight as well. "It's called the Requiem."

"Appropriate indeed," Ingrid said, steeling herself.

* * *

After a few minutes to themselves, the Great Fairy sisters returned to the trio. Zelda folded her arms and asked, "Well?"

The Great Fairy of the Depths spoke first. "In light of some rather persistent vouching from a friend of yours…"

"Navi," her sister whispered.

"We've decided to let you pass…"

"Excellent," Zelda nodded.

"On one condition," the Shining Fairy said. "We honestly lack faith in your abilities. But if you can prove us wrong, we will lend you some of our power."

"And how should I go about proving myself?" Zelda asked.

"By fighting us," the dark one said.

"I suspected as much," Sheik sighed.

"Must she really fight?" Peach asked. "It doesn't seem fair…"

"She may pick one partner," the dark fairy added. "If you manage to defeat both of us, then you may pass. If not, then I will banish her into the depths until Ganondorf is dealt with."

"Think carefully," her sister said. "You can still turn back. We both know our way out of here. Bear in mind that even if you win, those doors filter out certain individuals. Only mortals of the Mushroom World may go to Bowser. The other door is strictly reserved for mortals of Hyrule. Neither of us may pass through either gate. Peach's Millennium Star will not be able to pass through either."

"Why not?" Peach asked.

"It is a sentient being and clearly immortal," she said. "Your Shining Star is not fully sentient, and thus it will be able to help you. We have been pondering a loophole, but nothing yet."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," her sister said. "What will it be, Zelda?"

"I accept your challenge, and I choose Peach as my partner."

"Zelda," Sheik said, turning to her. "Please, take me instead. I have more combat experience."

"You haven't seen her in action lately," Zelda smirked. "Besides, her healing powers will be useful."

"To keep it clean," the Shining Fairy said, "this will be a bloodless battle, but death is still a possibility…for you two anyway." Darkness began to spread away from the Great Fairy of the Depths and pushed Sheik back until he was at the edge of the room. Peach had the Millennium Star join him since she wouldn't be able to use it later.

"We shall judge your worth," she said, clasping both pairs of hands.

"Ready?" the Shining Fairy asked.

"Let's go!" Zelda yelled.

"Shining Star!" Peach called out. "Give us strength!" The Shining Star came out and shined down on them, empowering them.

"Shine Sprites, return!" the Shining Fairy called out. The Shine Sprites broke away from the combined Power Star and flowed into her.

"Cheater!" Zelda rushed at the Shining Fairy, but her sister slid in the way and began to thrash at Zelda with the claws on her four hands. Zelda quickly summoned her sword to block, but the impacts were fierce. Zelda struck back with several slashes, though her opponent blocked with her claws, which seemed hard as steel. Zelda finished her barrage with a psychic blast that plowed the Great Fairy of the Depths across the room and on her back.

"Watch out for the spell!" Peach warned, pointing to the Shining Fairy who had a column of sparkles swirling up around her. Zelda teleported above her and came down with Din's Eruption.

"Ah!" the fairy squeaked, getting knocked into the air. Zelda jumped at her, with quick slices until the fairy burst with light, sending Zelda flying back. She caught herself and continued to overwhelm the light fairy with her speedy slashes. Suddenly, black spikes jutted up from beneath her and she jumped back. The other Great Fairy came from around her sister and resumed slashing at her until Zelda teleported back to Peach.

"Take this!" Peach yelled, and began throwing bombs at the two fairies. Before the smoke had cleared, the dark fairy zoomed out and grabbed them by their throats. With her free set of hands, she punched stabbed them in the stomachs.

"Here we go!" the Shining Fairy said, signaling her sister to get out of the way. The dark fairy turned into a shadow and slipped back to her sister. "Feel Heaven's wrath!" A barrage of Shining Rays began to rain down from the ceiling.

Zelda put her shield up, while Peach healed the both of them. Unfortunately, the Great Fairy of the Depths was also preparing a spell, giving off what could only be described as a black aura.

"The Darkness shall consume you," she said, sinking into the ground. Her shadow spread across the entire floor and dark hands pulled Zelda and Peach into the darkness. The Shining Fairy prepared another spell as she heard the princesses' yelps and cries. They were both on the ground when the dark fairy returned to her sister's side.

"Ready for more?" the Shining Fairy said as Peach and Zelda pulled themselves up. Once again, the ceiling rained Shining Rays. This time, Zelda and Peach teleported next to the dark fairy. Zelda grabbed onto her and teleported with her back into the raining light.

"Ahhh!" she cried in pain as the rays struck her repeatedly.

Peach used her Peach Bomber on the Shining Fairy and sent her skyward. She then used well-aimed Psychotic Bombs to keep her airborne. When she ran out of energy, she took a moment to drink Royal Syrup. The airborne fairy quickly flew downward and bowled her over and turned to fire a Shining Ray at Zelda.

Zelda's dodge was all the Great Fairy of the Depths needed to grab her. Bearhugging her, she battered Zelda with her other arms. Zelda grabbed her arms and struggled to hold them back. When she realized she couldn't, she poked her in the eyes, instantly releasing herself. As soon as she was free, she began firing Shining Rays at pointblank range in quick succession.

To escape the barrage, the dark fairy flew up and over to Peach, who was pestering her sister. Peach blocked her slashes with her Gard Gloves, but was hit from behind by the Shining Fairy. When she turned, the dark fairy slammed her face into the ground and tossed her to her sister. The Shining Fairy threw her over her shoulder and went after Zelda, while the Great Fairy of the Depths went after Peach.

"Shine Sprites!" the Shining Fairy called out. They swarmed out of her and slammed into Zelda like rocks being thrown from all sides.

Peach did her best to block the slashes from the Great Fairy of the Depths, but the dark fairy soon grabbed her. Peach quickly began to tickle her and was quickly dropped as her assailant giggled. Peach slapped her around a bit, but a black aura suddenly came over her opponent, and she no longer flinched at all. Peach was slashed across the face and punched into the wall next to the boss doors. The black spikes came up from underneath her and launched her into the air. The Great Fairy suddenly grew large and sent a gigantic fist into Peach, before reverting to her smaller form. Peach landed flat on the ground and quickly tried to get up. Like a puddle that had been pitched out of a pail, the dark fairy liquefied and splashed onto her, taking her beneath the floor.

Zelda was having a hard time getting close to the Shining Fairy, who kept trying to blast her with Shining Rays. Zelda put up her shield and took out a bow and arrow, charging a Light Arrow.

"Useless," the Shining Fairy said, preparing a spell. Zelda suddenly teleported high up and fired the arrow past her. It flew straight into the dark puddle where the Great Fairy of the Depths was. As soon as it hit, Peach popped out and the dark fairy writhed from the pain of the light coursing through her.

"Ugh…" the dark fairy said, falling to her knees. "Well done. But it's not over yet." She then collapsed and turned into a shadow once more, moving over to where Sheik and the Millennium Star were watching.

"Get ready!" the Shining Fairy said, throwing a small ball of light at Peach. Peach dodged the ball, but it created an unexpectedly large explosion that tossed her into another wall. When Zelda slashed the fairy in the back, she gave off a bright flash, sending Zelda rocketing away. Unlike the last time, there was yellow aura staying with the fairy this time.

"I know we can beat you," Zelda said, struggling to her feet. "We've come too far to fail now."

"You can't fail if we don't let you try," the Shining Fairy said, ramming her repeatedly in dashes that left blurry afterimages. Even when Zelda was knocked all the way over to Peach, the Shining Fairy gave her no room, eventually electrifying herself. "You can't win!" she said, holding Zelda against the wall and electrocuting her. "If you can't beat me, what makes you think you can beat Ganondorf?" She eventually let Zelda drop. Zelda did not get up.

"She _can_ win!" Peach said, wincing and holding her side. "Because she has friends!"

"Stay down!" the Shining Fairy said, blitzing over to her and hitting her at least a dozen times in one second. "It's over!"

"No!" Peach bellowed angrily, becoming engulfed in flame. "Stars! Give me strength!" She began to use her Comeback spell on Zelda.

"This will put you down," the Shining Fairy said, forming points of energy on her hands and forehead for few seconds. "Behold!" A light formed at her center. All three points focused there and fired a humongous beam straight into Peach. Not even Peach's Rage could withstand it, as it sent her through the wall. The beam had gone through several rooms and eventually outside, though Peach was under the rubble of the first crumbled wall.

"It's still not over yet!" Zelda said, back on her feet and in good condition. She quickly ran after her with her sword.

"The battle draws to a close," the Shining Fairy said, initiating the charge for her devastating beam. As Zelda slashed at her, she did not even flinch. "Is this the full extent of your power?"

As the center began to build, Zelda clenched her eyes shut and focused as hard as she could. She took a bite of a Jelly Ultra from her pouch and her Triforce began to glow. The beam fired, but paused just in front of her along with the rest of time. As Zelda fell to her knees, she managed to stay conscious just long enough to eat the rest of the Jelly Ultra. She blacked out for only a moment, but it was long enough for time to slowly restart. She crawled out of the way of the beam and readied a bow and arrow. Instead of a Light Arrow, she tried a Dark Arrow, which had been given to her shortly before she had first fought Ganondorf alongside Geno.

Time was at full speed once it fired. By the time the Shining Fairy noticed it, she was stuck firing her beam and could not move. It struck her in her side and dark bolts spread all over her. Her beam abruptly ended and she fell to one knee. "Eh…We underestimated you. Forgive us."

"We won?" Zelda asked.

"Yes," the Great Fairy of the Depths said, strolling over to her with Sheik. "You've earned the right to face Ganondorf." She pulled Peach out of the rubble and reinvigorated both her and Zelda.

"You fought well, Peach," Sheik said, hugging her. "I never knew you were that strong."

"I'm just glad to help," Peach said. "Are we all ready to go?"

"Just a minute," the Shining Fairy said, sinking into a sitting position. "You'll need these." She returned the Shine Sprites to Peach. "And Zelda, I have a new spell for you. It's a weaker version of the attack I used. I like to call it the Shining Cannon." She shined a light on Zelda.

"Is there anything extra I need to know about it?" she asked.

"As you can probably tell, it is severely draining. Furthermore, you will be completely immobilized while using it. The good news is that it doesn't take as long to charge as mine does. Two seconds at most."

"Now, go and destroy the evil behind those doors," the Great Fairy of the Depths said. "We can no longer help you…not that you need it."

"Are we all ready?" Zelda asked her comrades.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Peach?" Sheik asked.

"Well, someone has to stop Bowser," she smiled. "Even if I have to do it alone, I won't give up until I help him snap out of whatever has happened to him."

"Very well then," he said, giving her a tight embrace. "My prayers will be with you." After a short kiss, they parted. Peach entered the large red bolted door, while Zelda and Sheik entered the other iron door.

* * *

Ingrid jumped into the Stealth Ship as it lifted off. She watched as the Wanderer reverted to her previous, more mortal form. Although Ingrid was angry for admitting defeat and retreating, she knew her limits. Had she tried to engage the Wanderer any longer, she knew she would not have survived. Now fully knowing what the Wanderer was, she pondered what that meant for Peach. Did she have any idea of what lay deep inside herself? For everyone's sake, she hoped that Peach could discover that power to defeat Bowser and Ganondorf. 


	42. Kings of Evil

**Kings of Evil**

Peach wasn't surprised to see a solitary pipe sticking out of the dark floor. She took a breath to prepare herself and jumped in. She appeared over a seemingly endless abyss of darkness and began to fall. She saw two platforms floating far below. She looked around and saw Sheik and Zelda falling in a similar fashion some distance away. Sheik tried to maneuver toward her with a diving stance, but he seemed to collide with some sort of shield that briefly flashed a smoky black hue, before becoming completely transparent. Not even the sound of his voice could penetrate the shield, so he maneuvered back to Zelda.

As the platforms became much larger, it was evident that they were nearly the size of a football field. Peach used her floating ability to slow herself so much that she gracefully touched down on her rocky, gray-blue platform. Zelda and Sheik simply teleported to their dark black-brown platform, negating the force of gravity.

Suddenly, the shield turned jet black and began to hum. Bowser leapt out of it and landed thunderously on Peach's platform. His skin was still more darkened than usual, the formerly green parts being almost black. He slowly stomped to her and laughed in her face.

"I see Morel didn't finish the job," he guffawed. "I'll take care of her later. So, are you ready for a savage beating?"

"I'll give you one more chance," Peach said, bravely looking into his eyes. "Just tell me what happened to you…so I can help you. I don't want to fight you, but…"

He laughed again. "Are you kidding? Do I look like I need any help from you? Not only is the plumber out of commission; not only are you my legal wife; but in a matter of hours, I will be the ruler of the entire world! The fleet entering Mushroom Kingdom was just a decoy, to draw your forces into attacking and leaving everything defenseless."

"Was it that mask?" Peach asked. "Or did Ganondorf do something to you?"

"Neither. It was all me, baby. Ganondorf was just insurance. That mask was a bonus. And the power of the Star Rod is completely mine, the icing on the cake. Killing you will be the cherry on top."

"Why are you so concerned with killing me?" she asked suspiciously. "You said it yourself. You're on a roll. It's not as if killing me will let you do anything you can't already do."

He grunted and let out a puff of smoke. "I don't need to explain the joy of killing to a goody-two-shoes pansy like you. If I wanna' do something, I do it!"

Peach eyed him skeptically. "I don't believe you. You've gone too far out of your way to make me miserable." Then, a smile crept onto her face. "You still have a crush on me, don't you?"

He roared angrily, "You arrogant little…oooh! Now, it's time to die!" He swiped a claw at her. She blocked with her gloves, but was knocked back by the power in his arm. She backed away as he dove at her. He managed to grab her skirt, but let go in pain as the blades cut into his hands. Peach came at him and smacked him around. He grabbed her by her shoulders and tossed her over his shoulder and tried to skewer her by throwing himself back shell-first. To his surprise, she caught herself by landing on one hand and flipped out of his range. While his spikes were momentarily lodged in the ground, she jumped over him and ground-pounded directly onto his belly, burying his spikes further into the ground.

She jumped up and tried to repeat, but he blew a fireball into her. Even though it didn't burn, it was powerful enough to push her aside. He yanked himself out of the ground and took in a deep breath. Peach got up and held up her arms as his flamethrower-like breath enveloped her. When his breath subsided, he was happy to see her on the ground surrounded by stray flames. Then his smile disappeared upon seeing her suddenly rise up, completely unharmed.

"What the?" he barked. "Since when were you fireproof?"

"There's a lot of things you don't know about me," she said, picking up a turnip. She threw it at his face and it bounced off harmlessly.

"What do I look like? Wart? Those things are useless against me, unless you're trying to annoy me to death."

"I don't want to kill you," she said. "I know that deep down inside, you still…"

"Shut up!" he yelled, giving off radical rainbow colors and stardust. "You may have a few tricks, but you're still the same weakling I've always known." He jumped at her and made a big swing with his claw. When she twirled out of the way, he speedily retreated into his shell and spun into her. She fell back and rolled out of the way before he could hit her again.

She rolled to her feet and threw herself rear-first as he spun straight toward her. The explosion knocked Bowser out of his spin and sent him skidding along the platform a short distance. He got to his feet and made a massive jump high into the air. Peach sensed his energy building and tried to get as high above the ground as possible. Bowser rocketed back down to the platform with a crash hard enough to send visible shockwaves flying away from him. Peach was far away enough to escape any harm and remained airborne.

"Get down here!" he bellowed. "Since when could you go that high?! I'll rip you to shreds!" He jumped up to her and grabbed her out of the air. He tried to make it so that he would land on her, but she stopped herself midair and bit into his hand. He let got and dropped down before her. She came down on top of him and repeatedly kicked and stomped his head. When she finally landed on the ground, he growled and slashed at her so fast that it took her a few seconds to for her to notice that she had three cuts along her cheek. During her moment of shock, he did another quick slash, this time digging his claws into her side and picking her up.

"Ah!" she yelped, kicking at him.

He wasted no time and immediately tried to bite her face. She moved her head enough to put her shoulder in the way and screamed as his teeth sank in. He growled, refusing to let go of her and shook his head, clearly trying to dismember her.

"Shining Star!" she yelled. Her body was covered in flames as her Rage commenced, though Bowser wouldn't let up. She grabbed his jaws and slowly managed to open them to release herself. She sent fierce kicks into his stomach as he tried to dig his other claws into her other side. He grunted with each kick and finally pushed her away. He blew another cloud of flames, but she charged through it and smacked him with her crown. Though he would not fall, the repeated clanging echoed throughout their side of the abyss. Even with her last hit, he merely slid backward on his feet. Once her Rage gave out, she slouched over, catching her breath.

"Die!" he cried, charging at her again.

"Take this!" she yelled, ready to use her Psychotic Bombs. She rose up into the air and showered him with a blitzkrieg of bombs. He disappeared in waves of fire and smoke, but she wouldn't let up until she had exhausted her magic. She even threw the bombs with greater force in each arm. Eventually, her hands began to smoke and caught fire in a miniature-Rage. Soon, there was nothing but a sea of flames and smoke beneath her. Had her bombs not been exploding on contact, she would have thought she had destroyed the whole platform. As her arms ached and her head began to throb, the explosions became weaker and weaker. When she finally did run out of power, she dropped out of the air and landed less than gracefully on her stomach.

She coughed in the smog and her eyes stung. Her hands, still smoking, were shaking and she was sweating profusely. She dug into her pouch for Royal Syrup, but could only find Maple Syrup. She drank it and got to her hands and knees as the vast smoke cloud began to dissipate. She had a great feeling of foreboding, as if something had gone terribly wrong. She was curious upon finding that Bowser was completely blackened and unmoving. He was in a pose as if he was roaring out to the sky. His eyes were wide open in a strange mix of rage and shock.

Suddenly, the platform began to rumble and a large chunk of it collapsed from the rest and slowly spun in space, as if it could not decide whether to sink or float. Peach took a sigh of relief when Bowser himself did not move. She held her face in her hands as she quietly shed tears for him.

"I'm so sorry," she squeaked between sobs. "I didn't want it to be this way." She paused when she heard a cracking sound. She looked at Bowser and saw his eyes glowing increasingly bright. His body began to shake and the platform followed suit. Rays of light shined out of him until they blinded Peach with a shattering noise.

When she opened her eyes, there was a nightmarish behemoth in his place. His spikes were more like needles on his serrated shell. His horns were longer and more bullish than ever. His snout was full of longer, sharper teeth. His scales, though of a more normal color now, were more like pieces of armor on his bulky muscles that were twitching with power. He was at least twice as big as before. His claws were thicker and sharper and his armored tail had the spikes of a Stegosaurus. With each breath he took, steam and smoke flowed out of his snout and mouth.

He spoke with an even deeper, devilish voice. "I was planning on using this Giga form on you eventually. I just didn't think you'd actually be strong enough to make me use it. Congratulations. You'll have the honor of being ripped apart by Giga Bowser."

* * *

Once the shield had turned jet black, Ganondorf hovered out to greet Sheik and Zelda. He had an arrogant, almost humored smirk on his face as he lowered to the ground.

"Zelda…I'm glad you decided to come," he said with his arms crossed. "You've made things easy for me. And Sheik, I see you've decided to tag along as well. You must really think that your combined strength can overcome me. How sad."

"Don't take us so lightly," he replied, readying his long knife.

"We're ready to put you down permanently," Zelda said, readying her Gilded Sword.

"Well, then," he said, taking two Gerudo swords from behind his back. "I won't waste our time." He slowly ambled toward them, holding no defensive stance at all. Sheik and Zelda dashed straight for him. Sheik jumped over him to slash him in the head, while Zelda tried to stab him in the abdomen. He skillfully blocked both strikes and did a quick spin slash. Both heroes flipped away from the wave of energy.

"Hold it right there!" Zelda said, taking psychic hold of him. "Now, Sheik!"

Ganondorf easily broke out of her hold, parried Shiek's attack, and kicked him away. "Don't think you can restrain me!" he laughed. Sheik and Zelda came at him again, both swinging their swords, hoping to catch him off guard. Ganondorf blocked each strike, even as they maneuvered to attack him from opposite sides.

"Sheik," Zelda said. "Perform a Windmill!"

Sheik slashed at Ganondorf's back, which was easily blocked, and then he went into a break spin with his legs outstretched. When Ganondorf jumped to avoid his kicks, Zelda raised Sheik into the air with him. Sheik managed to strike Ganondorf directly several times before the Gerudo knocked him back with a sword swipe. While he was occupied, Zelda fired a Shining Ray at him. It bounced harmlessly off his armor.

"Not again!"

"Yes again!" he laughed, smashing his shoulder into her. Once she was floored, he leapt into the air and came down with his swords aimed downward. Sheik tackled him out of the air, but was immediately kicked away.

Sheik hopped to his feet beside Zelda and said, "We need to break that armor. Think you can do it?"

"Yes, but you'll need to distract him. Once I come in from above, get clear." She put away her sword and gathered her magic. Sheik ran for Ganondorf once again, jumping at him with a slash. Ganondorf blocked with one sword and attempted to strike with the other, but Sheik blocked with one of his smaller knives. They were locked in place, though Ganondorf was quickly getting the upper hand. Eventually, Ganondorf was standing over him, while Sheik was almost on his back. Sheik saw Zelda teleport above them, with a fiery hand. Zelda moved Sheik clear of Ganondorf and came down directly on top of him with her fist. There was a burst of fire and the evil king was blown clear of it. Even still, his armor remained intact, though it had a few small cracks in it.

As he got up, a Deku Nut detonated where he stood, blinding him. Sheik punched and kicked him in the face repeatedly. When Ganondorf swung madly, Sheik flipped away from him while Zelda came at him with a flying kick. As soon as her foot made contact with his chest, a burst of magic sent Ganondorf reeling backwards, and cracked his armor even more. As soon as he got up, Sheik slid between his legs and tripped him from behind. While he was on the ground, Sheik flipped onto him and bounced over Zelda, who hit Ganondorf with small blasts of magic. Before he could grab her, she flipped backward and made his swords fly clear off the platform.

Ganondorf immediately took flight and began to charge up his own magic. Sheik stood by Zelda as the Gerudo unleashed an explosion of dark energy. Zelda held up her shield as best she could, but both she and Sheik were bowled over by its sheer force. As soon as they regained their bearings, a flurry of energy balls came their way. Zelda reinforced her shield and the blasts were all reflected back at Ganondorf. Though they bounced off of his armor, they were enough to knock him out of the sky. Sheik dashed straight for him, so Ganondorf charged his energy into his fist. Just as Ganondorf unleashed his punch, Sheik disappeared in the flash of a detonated Deku Nut. While the Gerudo was disoriented, Sheik kicked him in the back toward Zelda.

Zelda readied a bow and arrow, while Sheik continued after him. Ganondorf grabbed him by his head and slammed him into the ground before kicking him away. He turned toward Zelda, who was concentrating her energy into the arrow. Ganondorf smiled arrogantly and flew straight for her. To his surprise, the arrow glowed purple and flew straight for him. Instead of bouncing off, as a Light Arrow would have, the dark energy covered his armor and made it almost impossible for him to move. Putting away her bow, Zelda dashed straight for Ganondorf and performed another magically charged kick into his weakened armor. As he flew back, Sheik jumped and chopped him back toward Zelda. She jumped and used Din's Eruption to blast him back toward Sheik. Sheik did a handstand kick to launch Ganondorf into the air above Zelda.

"It's over!" she yelled, pouring her energy into her hands. After much straining, she fired her Shining Cannon into Ganondorf. He was blasted high into the dark sky and out of sight. Even after Zelda had stopped pouring in her energy, it continued to flow out of her and into the beam. Finally, the beam faded into a few particles and Zelda let her arms fall to her sides. She became dizzy and stumbled back before falling into a sitting position.

"I think we did it," Sheik said, looking into the sky. "I doubt even his armor could have withstood that."

"No," Zelda panted, drinking Royal Syrup. "He's still alive. I know it. I can sense him." She got to her feet and looked up into the sky. She began to collect energy again to prepare a second attack.

"Are you sure you want to use it twice in a row like that?" Sheik asked with concern. Suddenly, Ganondorf's blasts rained down onto the platform. Sheik dodged as best as he could, but Zelda was stuck immobilized and had to weather the blasts. Ganondorf quickly rocketed down to the ground, his armor in ruins, and his body growing darker by the moment. He breathed hard and angry, watching Zelda slowly aim at him. When she fired, he strafed out of the way and crouched beside the fixed beam. She could do nothing to stop it, nor could she turn to adjust her aim. Ganondorf angrily stomped over to her and took hold of her throat as the blast continued.

"Let her go!" Sheik yelled jumping at him from behind. Ganondorf let go of her and caught Sheik by his arms. He slammed Sheik on the floor repeatedly, while Zelda could only watch.

Once Sheik was too dazed to struggle much, Ganondorf removed Zelda's pouch and tossed it into her blast, disintegrating it instantly. Then, he picked up Sheik by one arm and made an evil grin to her.

"No, don't!" she screamed, trying to stop. She shut her eyes when Ganondorf tossed Sheik toward her beam. She only heard a grunt as he disappeared into the light.

"I'll enjoy your despair a short while longer," he said with a deep, inhuman voice. "I haven't quite crushed your spirit yet. That will soon change…" A dark shadow was cast over the entire platform as her attack finally ended. All she could see were his glowing eyes and his two glowing Triforces. A bright flash emanated from him and his body grew into a demonic amalgam of boar, ram, and lizard. He had the horns and hooves of a ram, the face and snout of a boar, and the armored tail of some kind of reptile. He held two giant golden knives.

Zelda gaped up at the monster, eyes wide with fear. "Oh, my Goddesses…"

* * *

Geno finally reached the highest level and walked through a conspicuously bland door. After walking through, he was on the platform where the Seven Stars, Mario, and Link were imprisoned. Now all he had to do was figure out how to free them. Blasting the pods or the black barriers would risk injury to his comrades. Yet, there was no control panel to deactivate the system.

"Geno," a voice said from behind. He turned and saw the Shining Fairy.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"The same as you. You are here to free the Star Spirits, correct?"

"And Mario and Link," he added. "Where is your sister?"

"Guarding the boss doors," she said. "We tested Peach and Zelda to make sure that they will stand a chance against Bowser and Ganondorf, but still…"

"I wouldn't write them off so easily," Geno said. "Still, we need all the help we can get. Do you know how to get them out?"

"Unfortunately, no," she frowned. "But I have a friend here, who might be able to help." The Millennium Star fluttered out of her golden locks and orbited the platform. The barriers covering the Star Spirits dissipated. Unfortunately, the Star Spirits were blank, having no faces, nor personalities.

"What's wrong with them?" Geno asked.

"Bowser and Ganondorf's magic have incapacitated them. As long as either is active, I doubt they will be restored to their full power. However, they should allow the Sages to channel at least some of their essence here. I would suggest letting Mario use the stars."

"Agreed," Geno said, as the stars swirled around the two heroes. "I'll escort them, while you rescue the other prisoners."

"Then, I'll let the Millennium Star lead you to my sister." She drifted back into the prison. The pods began to crack and both heroes opened their eyes. Once the pods shattered, they burst out, somewhat disoriented.

"Mama mia…" Mario moaned.

"What's going on?" Link asked, looking around. "Where are we?"

"This is where you were both imprisoned," Geno answered. "I'm here to lead both of you to where you need to be. Link, Zelda is fighting Ganondorf as we speak. Mario, Peach is fighting Bowser…"

"What?" Mario exclaimed.

"Yes, I said _Peach_ is _fighting_ Bowser. We need to hurry."

"I don't have any weapons," Link said. "I need something to fight with."

"Link," Saria's voice said as the greenish yellow Star Spirit floated in front of him. Her image appeared on the star. "Use this until you can get the Master Sword. Thank Navi for finding it." The Great Fairy Sword materialized and Link took hold of it.

"Hey, kid," Nabooru's voice said, coming from the pinkish star. "You might want to take this too. Good luck." The Mirror Shield appeared for him to take.

"Take these, too," Ruto said from the sky blue star. The Silver Gauntlets appeared. "You can do it, Link."

"Don't forget these," Malon said, making a bow and arrows appear.

"You're a Sage?" Link balked.

"It's a long story. Now, help Zelda. We're all rooting for you."

"Mario, you take the stars," Geno said. Mario nodded and all seven stars flowed into him. "Okay," he said turning to the Millennium Star. "Lead the way." The Millennium Star flitted underneath his hat, whispering directions to him. They jogged back into the main facility, but a blaring alarm immediately went off.

As they boarded the elevator, the computer recognized them. "Restricted access to subjects Mario, Link, and Geno. Initiating automatic…" The voice died out as Geno connected one of his wires into the elevator wiring. "Vault access granted. Initiating express mode."

"Hold on," Geno said, grabbing one of the rails. The elevator bucked downward so fast that they all lost their footing.

"Full alert!" the intercom blared. "Mario and Link have breached security checkpoints! All forces converge and capture or destroy! Do not let them reach the Void!"

"It's going to get rough out there," Geno said. "Are we ready?"

"Let's-a go!" Mario chimed.


	43. Holding Out for a Hero

**Holding Out for a Hero**

Peach scooted back as Giga Bowser approached ominously, shaking the platform with each heavy step. He no longer appeared capable of smiling; his face looked as if the only expression it could make was that of madness in every sense of the word. Liquid fire dripped from his mouth as he arched his head back. He blew the searing hot flames into her and she was blasted to the edge of the platform. Her dress was in flames, but fortunately, it did not burn and the fire went out soon after.

She stood up and wiped away her tears to prepare another Psychotic Bomb raid. Once she had cleared her mind, she began to throw a volley of bombs into him. To her shock, he literally walked through each explosion, even the ones that detonated in his face. They seemed to do nothing more than cause smoke to rise off his armored hide. She tried to jump at him with a Peach Bomber, but it also had no effect. He caught her before she could land and squeezed her tightly in his fist.

"You're weak," he growled. He crouched and jumped high into the air with her. On the way down, he slammed her into the ground, sandwiching her between the platform and his palm. When he got up, she slowly tried to get to her feet. She managed to roll onto her back in time to see him jump for a body slam.

He felt a muffled grunt underneath himself and slowly got off of her. Despite his outward appearance, he smiled inwardly at the sight of her struggling to breathe. He stomped on her like a bug and pressed her into the ground even more. He was upset to see her still intact and not stuck to the bottom of his foot. He figured she was healing herself with every attack, but it was also clear she did not have much energy to move. All the longer he could enjoy her suffering, he figured.

He picked up her nearly limp body and ambled to the black barrier that was between his platform and Ganon's. He arched back and smashed her directly into the barrier itself. The barrier flickered and became transparent. He knew it could only help Ganon if Zelda saw Peach in such a state. It would be fun, too.

* * *

Zelda shook off her fear and decided that she had no choice but to fend off Ganon as best as she could. She backed away from him and fired a Shining Ray. It bounced off of his hide harmlessly. She growled agitatedly and prepared a Light Arrow. The arrow bounced off completely, not even discharging its energy. When she tried a Dark Arrow, the energy discharged, but he only absorbed it. She was not about to risk using her ultimate attack, especially after it had backfired so badly only a moment ago. She took out the only weapon she thought could possibly have any effect: the Master Sword.

She ran straight at Ganon, dodged the wide slices of his weapons, and did a slashing uppercut into his face. It made him stumble back, but the sword had not penetrated. When she rolled between his legs and struck at his tail, he spun around and knocked her away with his club-like tail. She caught herself and ran at him again. She kicked off of one giant knife, flipped over his head, and sparks flew as she scraped the sword along his back. He roared and batted her away with his tail. He turned around and spat a dark energy ball at her. She smacked it back with the Master Sword, but he simply reabsorbed it.

She teleported over him, readying Din's Eruption. He simply cut her out of the air. The blood coming out of her side was the only warning she needed to not try something like that again. She quickly tore away a piece of her skirt and wrapped it tightly around her waist. She rolled out of the way of another strike, and slid between his legs, ducking his tail. While his back was turned, she tried to give him a psychic push, but only managed to push herself away from him. When he finally did turn around, he began spitting out multiple dark energy orbs. She dodged each blast, catching onto his strategy. He was attempting to wear her out. He knew she couldn't do much to him. Once his barrage was done, she telekinetically ripped out a piece of the platform. Breaking it into smaller chunks, she lobbed them into his skull one at a time. Though they did little to hurt him, they were at least slowing his advance.

Then, she suddenly saw the black barrier behind him become transparent with Peach being pressed against it by Giga Bowser. He was looking directly at Zelda. When Ganon saw that she was distracted, he charged through the floating stones and tried to cut her down the middle. She teleported out of the way at the last second. She went up to the barrier and tried to cut through it, but the sword bounced off. When she tried her Shining Ray, it pressed into the barrier somewhat, but ultimately reflected back. When Ganon tried to smash her from behind, she teleported once again. This time, she ran up his tail, onto his back, and tried to plant the sword in the top of his skull. Again, it failed to pierce him, merely annoying him.

She heard a thud as Peach was slammed into the barrier once again. It was enough for Ganon to shake her off and just barely miss skewering her. She quickly got away from him and fired off a Light Arrow toward him. To his surprise, it missed him by quite a bit. He looked over his shoulder and saw Giga Bowser drop Peach once the arrow had struck him in the forehead. His pained roars did not penetrate the shield, but apparently the Light Arrow had. Ganon turned back to Zelda, inwardly impressed by the ruse. He knew that she would run out of energy sooner or later.

* * *

Geno, Mario, and Link had been swamped with enemies the second they stepped off the elevator in one of the Vault areas. There were so many, that it was no use trying to take them all on. Even still, the trio was making progress. Mario was chaining his jumps from enemy to enemy. Link was slashing through the torrents of soldiers in a cyclone of whirling magic, whether they were loyal to Bowser or Ganondorf. Geno was clearing out the area when it got too crowded with his dazzling attacks. At this point, he had little concern as to whether his attacks would collapse the fortress. He fired multiple Geno Beams to clear the path ahead, frequently used his Geno Blast to cover the area, and Geno Flash to make larger exits. His Star Guns had overheated from near perpetual use, so he was using his internal ammunition to fire off various built-in weapons. There were his Finger Shots, Rocket Punches, Elbow Cannon, and even a set of less powerful guns that shot small steel balls.

They only had to be careful of volatile enemies like Dodongos and Bob-ombs. Fortunately, when such enemies did keel over, they wiped out many other enemies along with them.

"Keep it up," Geno said, as they rushed past another crowd and entered another room. "We're almost there. Try not to wear yourselves out."

* * *

Once Peach had been released, she got up and scampered out of Giga Bowser's way. He dived to grab her again, but could only snag her by her skirt. Unlike the last time, the blades did not hurt at all. He lifted her upside-down and slammed her face down. He used one foot to pin down her legs and dug his claws into her back, tearing away the back of her dress. Her screaming was music to his ears. He raked his claws as deep into her flesh as he could, leaving scars that, despite their severity, refused to bleed.

"That's right," he growled. "Suffer. Squirm. Scream!" Once her back was completely bare, except for her nearly indestructible bra strap, he blew flames into it to make her scream even more. "Beg for mercy."

She only screamed in response.

He grunted and stomped on her legs, certain that he was breaking them. Then, he picked her up by her head and spiked it onto the ground. She got up almost immediately, but fell onto her back just as quickly. Bowser stepped onto her legs once again and slashed at her face. Then he dragged his claws down her torso, shredding her dress even more. He scorched her with more fiery breath. He stumbled as another Light Arrow struck his back. He turned around and roared at Zelda, who still had her hands full with Ganon. When he turned back, Peach had healed herself and was retreating away from him. She still had scarring on her back and torso, but the burns were mostly gone.

Bowser leapt up high into the air and came down in such a way that the whole platform tilted toward him at a steep angle. Peach ran as far as she could, but was forced to float to avoid sliding into his grasp as the platform leveled out. To her surprise, Bowser fired a red energy ball at her. Instead of knocking her out of the air, she simply absorbed it, flashing red for a second. It gave her a bad feeling, but it did not hurt. When she landed, Bowser ran after her.

She began to summon the Shining Star, but Bowser somehow teleported right in front of her in a flash of stardust and grabbed her. He tossed her back toward the wall, but she safely rebounded off of it. As soon as she landed, Bowser was in front of her, with his head arched back. She could do nothing but put up her arms as his head collided into her explosively. She was plastered against the wall and slowly slid down. Before she could go all the way down, Bowser crushed her against it with his fist. Then, he lowered his head, and pinned her against the wall with one of his horns. She spat up blood as the red glow returned.

"How's it feel to see your own blood?" Giga Bowser asked, pulling her off and letting her sink to the ground. She looked up at him, with hollow breathing, feeling her ribs completely crushed. Her eyes were empty and unfocused. She was on the verge of unconsciousness. Bowser grabbed her and headbutted her across the floor. Her eyes opened wide and stayed open, even as the rest of her body went completely limp.

Giga Bowser stomped over to her and looked down at her. "What's the matter? Can't get up?" He stomped on her legs again, but this time there was no screaming, not even a whimper. Her eyes simply stared into space emptily. "Don't bother playing dead. I know that you're still holding out for that plumber. You might as well give up. Whaddya say?" He got no answer. She did not move at all. He gave her a swift kick that made her tumble across the ground. He leapt up high and landed directly on her. Still she did not move. As he took a closer look, he noticed that she had not blinked at all, nor was she breathing.

"Peach?" he said, poking her. "What's wrong with you?"

_"You bastard!"_ Zelda screamed at him telepathically. He looked back to where she was, fighting Ganon. She was in no position to attack Giga Bowser and looked exhausted. _"You killed her! I swear to the gods, once I'm done with Ganon, I'll skin you alive and have your corpse buried in the deepest, darkest pit in Death Mountain."_

"Dead?" Giga Bowser said, looking back down at Peach. His mind was in a swirl of thoughts.

_"Finally, she's dead,"_ part of him thought.

_"What have you done?"_ another part of him gasped.

He grabbed his head, moaning as he felt a sharp pain. His head was throbbing, as if something was tearing his insides apart. His eyes glazed over and he bellowed in agony, as he split into two beings. One of them was a slightly more sinister version of Giga Bowser, with blackened skin and shell, and blank red eyes. The other being was normal Bowser, with regular size and shape.

"What do you think you're doing?" Devil Bowser demanded to the smaller one.

"You've gone too far," the regular Bowser shot back, standing over Peach's body.

"Quit fooling yourself. She brought it on herself. She knew she had it coming. Now, get back over here and…"

"No!" Bowser growled, looking at the Devil with tearstained cheeks. "I loved her. And now…she's gone… It's your fault! All because of you, and your stupid world conquest!"

"We both wanted this! It had to happen. She was holding us back! I did you a favor. I don't understand what's wrong with you."

"You killed her, you freak! Because of you, the only woman I ever loved is gone. And I intend to return the favor a_ thousand_ times over!" Bowser dived into his adversary and latched on with his claws, biting into him. They rolled around, Bowser biting and clawing, while Devil Bowser struggled to get his smaller self off.

* * *

When Geno, Link, and Mario finally entered the room with the two boss doors, they were relieved to find the Great Fairy of the Depths holding up a barrier around the room.

"I'm glad to see you," Geno said as they ran up to the her.

"There's no time for small talk," the she said, moving toward the entrance. "I don't have the energy to keep this up for very long. You won't be able to take the Star Spirits with you. Neither will Geno be able to pass. There's some form of barrier that prevents sentient immortals from passing through. If you can weaken Bowser and Ganondorf enough though, they might be able to get through."

"Looks like you two are on your own from here on out," Geno said to Mario and Link. "Hurry, we'll be fine here." While Mario and Link rushed through the doors, Geno absorbed the seven stars."

"We can't stay here," the dark fairy said. "We need to leave." Geno and the Millennium Star quickly got to her and they all teleported out.

* * *

Zelda was running out of options. She had used up so much magic just keeping away from Ganon, that she had little left for actual attacking. Whatever his body was made up of was just too strong to break. She was at a loss as to what to do. She hadn't expected for him to be able to deflect light attacks in this form as well. Peach's apparent demise had not helped her spirits at all. The fight Bowser was having with himself was distracting as well.

"Zelda," Ganon spoke in a raspy, deep voice. "There is no reason for you to fight me. If you give up the Triforce, I will spare your miserable life. You do not wish to be here. I can tell. There is nothing you can do against me. Not even Link could stop me."

"Stay back!" Zelda said, nearing the edge. "If I can't beat you, then I know I can at least keep the Triforce out of your clutches."

"Foolish girl," he said, stepping closer. "Contrary to what you might think, this is not a bottomless abyss. You would only delay the inevitable."

"Fine!" Zelda yelled, as particles of light flowed into her. "Then, it's all or nothing!"

"Fool," Ganon rasped, walking right up to her. Just as she began to fire, he knocked her on her back, sending the beam straight into the sky. "Don't you see? Your failure is unavoidable. Such power is not meant for a weakling."

"No! This can't be!" Zelda cried, unable to adjust her aim. Avoiding the column of light, Ganon prepared to behead her.

Suddenly, the sound of a battle cry overcame the roar of the beam. "Aaaaaaht!" Down came Link slamming Ganon's face into the ground with his Great Fairy Sword from above. In the commotion, one of Ganon's knives was caught in the beam and vaporized almost instantaneously.

Zelda began to shed tears upon seeing Link's faint visage through her beam. Once the beam faded, there was only her, Link, and an incapacitated Ganon. Link stood over her and held out a hand. She took it and was pulled to her feet. Before he could say anything to her, she clasped her arms around him and laid her head against his chest.

"Thank heavens," she cried.

They heard Ganon's roar and saw him get to his feet, shaking off his dizziness. There was a cracked dent in the floor where he face had been planted. "You again!" he growled. "I showed you mercy when I allowed you to live. No more!"

"Link," Zelda said, offering him the Master Sword. "You said you did it before, so you can do it again." Link took the sword, and handed her the Great Fairy Sword in turn. As soon as she held the hilt, she could feel her energy slowly returning and her wounds slowly healing.

* * *

Devil Bowser finally tore Bowser away from himself and spiked him across the arena. "Face it, Bowser! You can't win! There's no sense in fighting me! Now be a good boy and get back in your place."

"You know flippin' well I ain't doin' that!" Bowser snarled, bounding to his feet. "This isn't the first time we've fought."

"What are you talking about?" Devil Bowser said, furrowing his fiery red eyebrows. "You were cooperative from the start. In fact, you didn't start getting antsy until…" He gave Bowser a good hard look. "You… You shouldn't even exist anymore! I killed the real Peach!"

"It's not just my love for Peach that makes me fight you," Bowser said. "Take a look inside yourself. See what's left of me in there. You're all alone."

"So, are you the light side?" Devil Bowser asked.

"Do I look cheery?" Bowser sneered. "I'm the real deal. Light, dark, love, hate…all of it. Meanwhile, look at you. You're just one big fat stinkin' piece of me!"

"I got you where you are today, you traitor! Without me, you'd be sulking after another dozen defeats by that plumber! But I got rid of him for you. And now we don't ever have to worry about him again."

"I doubt it," Bowser replied smugly.

"What makes you say that?"

As if on cue, Mario came down like a meteor and pounded Devil Bowser's head straight to the ground.

"What the heck?" Bowser balked.

"It's-a me, Mario!" Mario said, jumping off his head.

"For once," Bowser laughed, "I'm actually glad to see you."

"Mario?" a weakened voice said behind them.

Mario looked behind Bowser, who looked over his shoulder in shock. Peach was struggling to sit up. Mario and Bowser quickly rushed to her aid and delicately sat her up.

"You're alive?" Bowser exclaimed. "But…I saw you…"

"Extra life," Peach smiled weakly. "From Delfino."

"That's great!" Bowser said, picking her up and hugging her.

"Hey!" Mario protested.

"Back off, plumber! I'm bein' gentle!"

"So," Peach said pensively. "Are you _my_ Bowser?"

"You know it, baby," Bowser smiled, setting her down in a sitting position.

Mario took her hand, asking, "Okey-dokey?"

"Mmhm," Peach nodded, stealing a peck on his cheek. She giggled when he began to shake. He spun in place and held up the peace sign.

"Ahem," Bowser coughed, leaning his cheek close to her.

She nervously looked away from him, pretending that she didn't notice.

"How sweet," Devil Bowser said, rising up. "The traitor, the plumber, and the princess who won't stay dead. I guess I'll just have kill all of you."

"You hang back, Peach," Bowser said as he and Mario stood in front of her. "Fatso and I will handle this."

Mario muffled a groan before turning his eyes to Devil Bowser. "Here we go!"

_Notes_:_ Sorry for the long delay. Finals + Lousy Internet No chance to update. I'm using a different computer right now, and this story will wrap up soon. Hang in there._


	44. Devil's Fall

**Devil's Fall**

Link charged straight for Ganon. Ganon made a wide slash, but Link rolled under it. Ganon tried to preemptively stomp him, but Link rolled to his left and swiped at Ganon's right leg. Though the sword only gave off sparks without penetrating, Ganon flinched enough for Link to get behind him and slash at his back and tail. When Ganon turned around to smash him, Link leapt up and stabbed at his chin. Ganon tried to punch him into the ground, but Link again rolled out of the way and did another low swipe.

Zelda watched in awe as Link deftly dodged every counterattack and made quick attacks of his own. It wasn't doing much to Ganon, but it was doing something. She felt rather useless simply standing back and watching. Still, she reminded herself, she needed to recuperate more magic before it would be wise to join the fight. She could see another fight starting on the other platform with Devil Bowser.

* * *

Devil Bowser started the fight by blowing a cloud of fire towards all three of them. Bowser stood over Peach to shield her from the flames, while Mario jumped over the flames and delivered a punch right into Devil Bowser's nose. Devil Bowser grunted and took several hits in his stomach. Mario rolled away before he could grab him and sprang back with a kick to Devil Bowser's face. Devil Bowser immediately snatched him out of the air and headbutted him. Bowser jumped onto his face and immediately began clawing. Devil Bowser groaned, dropped Mario, and immediately tried to pry Bowser from his face. Once he removed Bowser, he leapt up high in the air with him and slammed him hard into the ground, quaking the platform. He then tossed Bowser away like a rag doll.

"Take'a dis!" Mario announced, charging energy into his raised hands. He then stretched his hands out toward Devil Bowser.

"Your Fire Orbs can't hurt me," Devil Bowser roared in anticipation.

"He's not using just any Fire Orbs," Peach said. She was on her feet, though still woozy, with the Shining Star floating over her. "Shining Star, give him strength!"

Mario's hands glowed fiery red and his eyes flashed yellow. A massive trio of fireballs, with flames streaming behind them, burst out of his hands and plowed through Devil Bowser. He was knocked over the edge of the platform.

"Way to go, Mario!" Peach cheered as the Shining Star returned to her.

"Yeah! Ha, ha, ha!" Mario jumped for joy.

When one claw reached back onto the platform, Bowser shook off his daze and growled, "You didn't think you could beat him that easily, did you? He's part of me, remember?"

Devil Bowser tilted the entire platform as he climbed back on. He jumped high into the sky and, glowing with the power of the Star Rod, and came rocketing down. The impact was enough to put all three of his opponents several feet off the ground. Then, they were all blasted off the platform by a second shockwave.

Before they could plummet into the abyss, Peach let Mario grab her leg, while Bowser grabbed Mario's legs. She barely managed to float back to the edge and hung on. Bowser quickly scampered up onto the solid ground, and lifted her up after her, dragging Mario along.

"I almost thought that would be too easy," Devil Bowser said, arching his head back. He blew a rather large fireball at them. They all got away from it, Bowser carrying Peach in one arm, as it exploded where they had been.

"You stay out of the way, okay?" Bowser said, putting her down. He abruptly picked up Mario and threw him at Devil Bowser. Mario collided headfirst into a backhand and landed at their feet.

"Please, don't throw Mario," Peach said agitatedly.

Mario got to his feet and quickly ran for Devil Bowser. To the giant's surprise, he circled around him. Devil Bowser tried to catch him, but Mario instead caught him by his tail. When he tried to pull and swing, Devil Bowser's tail flicked him up above him. He belched out a jet of flame, burning Mario to a crisp.

"Mariooo!" Peach cried, as his blackened form hit the ground. Bowser ran up to Devil Bowser and charged him with his horns. To her surprise, Mario got up and the ash crumbled off of him. He looked as good as new.

"Stupid extra lives!" Devil Bowser grunted, punching Bowser away. Mario leapt at him and spun with his fists outstretched, hitting him in a tornado of punches.

"Oh, thank goodness," Peach sighed, feeling more exhausted than before.

"Hey, what about me?" Bowser complained, getting up.

Peach looked to him and scraped up some of her magic to heal him. "Now, go get him," she said, falling to her knees.

"Peach?" Bowser said worriedly.

"Don't worry about me," she insisted breathlessly. "The sooner you beat that thing, the better off I'll be. It's up to you and Mario. Do that for me, and I promise I'll make it up to you."

"You got it," he said charging off to assist Mario.

Just as Devil Bowser had gotten hold of Mario, Bowser did a leaping slash with his claw, off-balancing the giant. Mario broke free and smashed him in the face. Bowser rammed his spikes into Devil Bowser's belly. Mario performed a leaping uppercut into Devil Bowser's nose and bounced on his head. Bowser retreated into his shell and spun underneath the devil. Devil Bowser cried out and leapt into the air, not as an attack, but out of pain. Mario went up with him and began firing a flurry of small fireballs. Though the small bursts did little damage, they did enough to distract him from Bowser who was waiting below on all fours. When Devil Bowser came down, Bowser thrust his shell up, bashing his underbelly with his spikes.

_"How're things going for you, Peach?"_ Zelda asked. _"Is everything okay? I'm glad you're still with us."_

Peach looked through the transparent barrier and saw Link dodging around Ganon, sneaking in fast attacks. Zelda was standing off to the side just as Peach was doing. Peach replied, _"We're doing okay. He's pretty tough though. And I'm low on magic."_

_"Almost the same over here. Link's amazing, but Ganon is stronger than ever. Neither my light nor dark magic is having any effect. And the Master Sword is only making him flinch. I think I might have a plan though. Do you think you can muster a Psychotic Bomb attack?"_

_"Maybe," _Peach said, as Mario tumbled toward her. He got up and rushed back into the fight. _"But Devil Bowser is so strong; my bombs barely faze him."_

_"I'll take care of him,"_ Zelda said darkly. _"Just make sure that everyone stays out of the way. When I put a hole in the barrier, I want you to throw everything you have at Ganon. Okay?"_

_"Got it,"_ Peach said.

* * *

As the frustrated Ganon continued to strike at the dodgy Hylian hero, he noticed Zelda raise the Great Fairy Sword as she began to gather her strength. His moment of distraction was enough for Link to run up his arm and slam his sword on Ganon's cranium, forcing his face to the floor immediately. He got up quickly and saw Link running back to Zelda and standing out of her way. Her charge was almost complete.

Ganon charged straight for her. When she fired just as he expected, he rolled out of the way and tried to hit her from the side. Unexpectedly, Link's gauntlets gave him enough strength to lock his blade with the Master Sword and Mirror Shield.

Zelda did not try to adjust her aim at all. In fact, she was completely ignoring Ganon. The gigantic beam easily punctured the barrier and headed straight for Devil Bowser. When he tried to get out of the way, Mario clocked him in his face and pulled him by his tail, guaranteeing that both of them would be hit.

Though Peach didn't like the idea of Mario using himself in such a way, she knew that he would be okay afterward. Meanwhile, she had Bowser quickly carry her over to the shield and toss her up into the air. While Ganon was busy trying to overpower Link, Peach focused on the gaping, but slowly shrinking hole where the beam had gone through. She furiously tossed as many bombs as she could muster, all aimed at Ganon. They all exploded along his back, knocking him over. She only hoped that Zelda and Link were not caught in the explosions.

Once her energy was spent, she plopped down into Bowser's waiting arms. Mario popped out of thin air, good as new, next to them. To their surprise, Devil Bowser was still alive. It was apparent that the beam had mostly hit him from behind since his tail was missing and his shell was full of cracks and holes. It looked as if it was barely holding together.

"You treacherous little witch!" Devil Bowser growled. He jumped at the trio, but Mario knocked him out of the air with an uppercut. After setting Peach down, Bowser threw himself at Devil Bowser and knocked him on his side. Devil Bowser had trouble getting up and was panting steam heavily.

"Don't let him heal!" Peach cried out.

Mario tried to ground pound on him, but Devil Bowser snatched him out of the air and pitched him at Bowser. Bowser rammed through the plumber carelessly and jumped onto Devil Bowser's face. He bashed away at the devil's face, even resorting to headbutts. As Devil Bowser struggled to peel him off, Mario charged up a special attack and sent his Ultra Fire Orbs into Devil Bowser's belly. The larger reptile did not weather the fireballs as well as he had earlier and was soon overpowered by Bowser. Bowser sent two fierce punches into his face and finished with a cloud of flame into his eyes.

Devil Bowser bellowed in pain, clenching his eyes and bashing his own face to get Bowser off. When Bowser hopped off and stood beside Mario, Devil Bowser's teary, bloodshot eyes sneered at him. They growled at one another viciously. Devil Bowser forced himself into a jog to try and hammer his counterpart. Mario dove at the behemoth's feet and tripped him. Bowser caught Devil Bowser by his fist and swung him over his shoulder, slamming him onto the ground shell-first. There was a sickening crack as the already weakened shell was on the brink of completely shattering. Devil Bowser was unable to rise up immediately and simply bellowed in pain as Bowser grabbed him by his bullhorns. Bowser roared back as he strained to swing him.

Mario moved Peach a safe distance away as Bowser swung Devil Bowser around, finally throwing him into the barrier. His shell shattered like glass from the impact and he fell flat onto his belly. His arms struggled to lift his own weight until he settled for staying on all fours rather than getting up quickly. Bowser sent a victorious roar that echoed through the darkness.

"You're finished, freak!" Bowser growled.

"You haven't won Bowser," Devil Bowser said in a low, almost calm voice. "You can never win when _they're_ involved," he said, glancing at Peach and Mario.

"I think I just did," Bowser laughed. "Is that denial I'm hearing? Little baby want to cry?"

"Heh, heh, heh," Devil Bowser chuckled as a small remote with a single red button appeared in his hand. "When the Parakoopas deliver the morning edition, do you know what the headline is going to say?" He clicked the button and a metal column suddenly jutted out of the center of the platform. A black screen appeared on it, doing a five second countdown in red.

"Oh, no!" Peach and Mario exclaimed.

"No _survivors_!" Devil Bowser growled. Bowser rushed over to Mario and Peach as Devil Bowser laughed cruelly. As the countdown reached zero, the whole platform glowed ominously. A series of explosions rocked the platform from the inside. One large explosion blew it to pieces.

* * *

Link had used Nayru's Love to shield himself and Zelda from the bombs Peach had delivered. Ganon's glowing yellow eyes pierced the smoke as he stood up. There was the sound of glassy shards hitting the ground. Once the smoke cleared, they could see smoking chunks and pieces of his armored hide on the ground.

"I told you how I beat him last time, right?" Link asked Zelda, handing her the Mirror Shield and taking the Great Fairy Sword.

"Most definitely," she replied, taking out a bow and charging a Light Arrow. The Light Arrow flew right into his forehead and sent bolts throughout his body. Link quickly ran around behind him and struck his tail with a two-sworded lunge. Ganon turned around to try and hit him, but Zelda fired a quick Shining Ray at his tail. When he turned to face Zelda, Link hacked at his tail again with the Master Sword and Great Fairy Sword. He tried to whip Link away, but it only got his tail sliced more often. Meanwhile, Zelda calmly loaded another Light Arrow and fired it at his forehead.

"I wish you were this useful when I fought him the first time," Link joked, successfully chopping off his tail with a scissor strike. It hit the ground like a rock and wiggled around on its own for a short while. Link ran up his back and attempted to strike his head from there, but Ganon shook him off. Link flipped over beside Zelda and took out his own bow.

"I'm not the Zelda you knew in that reality," Zelda said as they took turns taking potshots at him with Light Arrows. "Without his armor, he's no match for us." Despite Ganon's efforts to block the arrows with his remaining blade, the stunning effect of each arrow's dispersal made it nearly impossible.

"When he gets weak enough," Link said, "the other Sages should be able to pitch in. Then, we can seal him. How have the Sages been anyway?"

"They've seen better days," Zelda grimaced. Suddenly, she noticed something going on beyond the barrier. Just as she looked, the whole platform where Peach and the others were had exploded.

"Huh?" Link said, gazing at the cloud of smoke.

"Never mind," Zelda said, shaking her head. "We have to focus on one thing at a time. He's almost…" Ganon roared and fell forward, unable to stand any longer. "Now, Link! Sages, get ready!"

"No…" Ganon groaned as Link ran straight toward him with his sword pointed forward. "Impossible."

"You're not going anywhere!" Zelda said, holding him down with her telekinesis and firing one more Light Arrow. Ganon moaned as his body was filled with tremors.

"Hyet!" Link grunted, jumping for a lunge that would crack his skull. To his surprise, his Master Sword never made contact. In fact, he was still floating in the air, frozen in place. "Huh?"

"What's going on?" Zelda asked, unable to move herself.

"You just had to interfere, didn't you?" Drow asked, stepping from around Ganon. She thrust Link screaming back to Zelda. "I told you I wouldn't let you win."

"Drow?" Ganon rasped between breaths. "Is that you?"

"Is that a sister of yours?" Link asked Zelda.

"No," Zelda said. "She's a doppelganger. Drow, stay out of this. Once we defeat Ganon…"

"I won't allow that to happen!" Drow said defiantly. "Not when we're this close to our goal." She pulled Zelda toward her quickly and placed her in front of Ganon.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Zelda screamed, struggling against her. "Link, help!"

"Zelda!" Link called out to her, still unable to move.

"Quickly, Ganon," Drow said. "You must take the Triforce of Wisdom!"

Ganon weakly raised up a hand, but he could not take hold of her.

"Pathetic weakling!" Drow groaned. She disappeared, letting Zelda and Link go.

"Link, hurry!" Zelda said lifting him up and pulling him toward Ganon. "We have to finish him now!"

Before he could strike, an invisible force blew both of them away. Drow returned with Morel, who immediately began to heal Ganon. Drow restrained Link and pulled Zelda toward Ganon. He immediately grabbed her and began to absorb the Triforce of Wisdom.

"No!" Zelda shrieked.

* * *

The remnants the platform that had exploded floated gently in space, apparently suspending themselves through whatever means the original platform had done so. Even so, smaller bits of rubble still plummeted into the abyss.

Mario was struggling to hang onto one of the pieces of the platform. Bowser was hanging onto his feet. Peach dangled by one hand holding onto one of the spikes on Bowser's tail. When Bowser attempted to pull himself up, his weight off-balanced the floating chunk and sent it into a small spin that threatened to loosen everyone's grip.

"Come on, fatso!" Bowser yelled. "Get your butt up there!"

"Too heavy!" Mario grunted. "I'ma…slipping!"

"Crud!" Bowser cursed under his breath. "Hold on tight, Peach."

"I don't think I'm going to make it," she said drowsily. "I used too much energy."

When her grip began to slip, Bowser quickly, but awkwardly flipped himself so that his tail was wrapped around Mario's legs and he grabbed Peach by her hand and pulled her into his arms. "That was close. Mario, you'd better pull one of your miracles and get us outta' here."

"I…can't!" Mario insisted. "You-a…too heavy!"

"Me?! I just saved our butts. If it wasn't for me, you'd be…"

"Bowser," Peach said weakly. He silenced immediately. She was smiling at him with tired eyes.

"What is it, Peach?" he asked gently.

"Thank you for helping and…well…everything," she said tearfully. "I'm glad I got to see you…the real you…one last time. And you too, Mario."

"What are you talking about?" Bowser asked.

"Peach?" Mario inquired worriedly.

"I want you to let me go," Peach said. "I've done my part."

"Oh, no!" Mario said.

"No way!" Bowser said. "You're not going anywhere! You know darn well that neither of us would let you do that! We made it up last time. We can do it again."

"You don't have a choice," Peach said. "Bowser, you can't climb up like this. And Mario, you can't lift all of us up. I'm just deadweight now. If you don't let me go, we'll all die."

"Normally, I would say the plumber should drop," Bowser said. "He's got more than enough lives to be okay…but that's not gonna' work this time."

"Bowser, please," Peach said. "Just do this for me. Your children and your kingdom need you. And…Mario will be able to protect the Mushroom Kingdom just fine. As a matter of fact, Bowser, it'll be your responsibility to rule my kingdom for me."

"Huh?" Mario asked.

"I'm proud to say," Peach continued, "I don't regret being your wife so much anymore."

"WHAT?!" Mario shrieked.

"Shut up, fatso!" Bowser yelled at him. "Peach, that's crazy. You don't just go handing over your kingdom to the person who's been habitually kidnapping you."

"Since when-a were you two married?!" Mario barked.

"I said pipe down!" Bowser retorted. "Focus on keeping us alive, will ya?"

"Bowser, do you understand everything I'm trying to say?" Peach asked. "You have to let me go now."

"Yeah, I know what I gotta do," Bowser gritted his teeth.

"Don't-a do it!" Mario yelled.

"Thank you," Peach said as Bowser slowly let her dangle by one hand. "Goodbye, Mario."

"Nooo!" Mario exclaimed, struggling harder than ever to pull them up.

"Later, plumber," Bowser said. "You'd better make sure no one kidnaps her."

"Wha?" Peach said in confusion. Bowser suddenly threw her up onto the ledge. "Mario, can you pull him up now?"

Mario continued to struggle, but the Koopa King was just too heavy. "It's no use!"

"I figured as much," Bowser said, folding his arms.

"Bowser, pull yourself up!" Peach said, struggling to grip onto Mario's arms.

"Sorry, Peach," he said, shrugging. "I don't use my tail much. I can't exactly pull myself up like a monkey. Peach, do me a favor, will ya?"

"Yes?" she said.

"Take care of my kids for me, okay?" he grinned. "And don't be afraid to show a little tough love," he said slamming his fist into his palm. Looks like you won this time, Mario. But I'll come back as a Dry Bones, so I can pummel you good." His tail unraveled and he fell into the abyss, his voice echoing, "I mean it!"

Mario rolled onto the ledge and looked down with Peach, who had tears in her eyes. She laid her head against him and sobbed, "Mama-mia…"


	45. Evil's Defeat?

**Evil's Defeat?**

Zelda was helpless as Ganon transferred the last piece of the Triforce into himself. The final Triforce piece took its place on his forehead and he tossed Zelda away. "Finally, I have the Triforce! Now, the world is mine!"

"Look at what you've done!" she screamed, diving at Drow, who immediately caught her with her telekinesis. "You've doomed everyone! If Ganon doesn't destroy us all, the Shadow Queen will."

"Shadow Queen?" Morel chuckled. "We're not resurrecting her."

"Quite the opposite," Drow nodded. "Just watch, Zelda. Ganon is in for a very nasty surprise."

As Ganon continued to laugh, all three Triforces suddenly left him and flew up into the sky above them. His laughing ended abruptly as he reverted back into Ganondorf. Each of the Sages, old and new, appeared around the edges of the platform, all looking confused and disoriented. They seemed unable to move from their spots. Their energies flowed up into the sky and swirled around the Triforce.

After some electrical build-up, there was a burst of light from the Golden Triangles. The dark barrier melted away as the darkness disappeared everywhere, replaced by light. From the abyss, the Star Rod spun towards the Triforce and seemed to lock itself in the center. A pair of golden wings suddenly spread away from the Triforce.

"The Hylian Phoenix?" Zelda marveled.

"That's what the people's of Hyrule know her as," Drow said. "But she's not really a bird."

When the light dimmed slightly, they could see that the wings were actually connected to a humanoid woman in a golden toga of sorts. She had glowing blue eyes, flowing hair that was as golden as her wings, and skin that was whiter than fresh snow. She wore gold hoop earrings, silver wristbands, and a brass anklet on each of her bare feet. The entire Triforce shrunk down and engraved itself into her forehead as she gently descended onto the platform. She took the Star Rod in her hand.

Ganondorf immediately stepped forward. "Are you the avatar that shall carry out my will?"

She looked upon him, standing only slightly taller than him. "I am no such thing. I am the Guardian of the Sacred Realm and the Golden Triangles, appointed by the Golden Goddesses themselves. Are you Ganondorf, the one who has tainted this world with darkness?" Her voice was silky, but somewhat deep, as if there was an echo behind it.

"And if I am?" he said between gritted teeth. "The Triforce is mine. Return it to me at once and or else."

"No," she replied curtly.

"Then, die!" he yelled, charging a ball of energy. She made no attempt to defend herself as he threw it at her. It burst harmlessly on her. "What?"

"Drow, if you'd be so kind," she said.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Drow bowed. She telekinetically lifted Ganondorf into the air.

"You're working for her?!" Ganondorf exclaimed. "You traitor! I'll get you for this! No one double-crosses the Great Ganondorf and gets away with it."

"Do shut up," the angel said, flicking a white flame into him. He cried out in agony as he was consumed in white flames and quickly burned to nothing. "Sages, you may return to your lives. You are no longer needed." The Sages instantly disappeared.

"What's going on?" Zelda asked as Link stood beside her. "Who are you?"

"Just a moment," the angel said. She waved her hand slightly and the ledge that Mario and Peach had been stranded on floated onto the platform. Raising the Star Rod into the air, a wave of energy spread throughout the entire Dark World, restoring it to its formerly golden state as the Sacred Realm. In the process, everyone on the platform felt completely reinvigorated.

"What happened?" Peach asked, standing up.

"She destroyed Ganondorf," Zelda said. "And so easily. Are you really the Hylian Phoenix?"

"That is one of my titles," she nodded. "My actual name is unpronounceable to the human tongue, but my preferred title is Empress Shine. It's a pleasure to meet you all."

"So, you're the one that was freed when the Forbidden Seal was broken?" Zelda asked.

"Correct," she smiled.

"I…I don't what to say," Zelda stammered. "Thank you."

"You're very welcome," she said. "Peach, do you recognize me?"

"Are…are you an angel?"

"Yes. And as it turns out, so are you."

* * *

Geno waited outside the entrance to Bowser's flagship with the two Great Fairies, the Millennium Star, and the Seven Stars. He was pacing about nervously.

"Do you think they're okay?" he asked.

"I'm certain they're fine," the Shining Fairy said. "Don't worry yourself so much."

"I wish the same could be said for your attack force," her sister said, watching the Arwings desperately blast the flagship.

"Geno, do you read me?" his internal radio buzzed.

"Yes, I'm here."

"Glad that you're still around. We're getting strange reports of Bowser's ships disappearing into thin air all over the world. You might want to get off of the flagship."

"Roger that," Geno said. As if on cue, the flagship completely disappeared from beneath them. Geno immediately activated the hovering thrusters in his feet. "If one of you ladies would be so kind; I can't actually maneuver with these things." The Great Fairy of the Depths held out an enlarged hand for him to stand on.

"It appears that they've won," the Shining Fairy smiled.

"Then, where are they?" Geno asked.

* * *

"I'm an angel?" Peach exclaimed as all eyes sat on her. "But how? I don't have any wings. And neither did my mother."

"Oh, she has wings," the Empress said. "She just doesn't have them out all the time. I should know. I'm the one who made her."

"So…you're my…"

"Grandmother. Yes, quite."

"But…she said I was a princess and she was a…"

"Power. They're just different types of angels. A princess, or prince, or more generally known as a Principality is about the third lowest rank, with Power being just above that. The Principality order specializes in world affairs, politics, and governance. Needless to say, you've been true to your nature without even realizing it."

"Then, what are you?"

"A seraph, one of the highest ranks. You see, a very long time ago, I was charged by the Golden Goddesses to guard the Sacred Realm and the Triforce. Everything was going swimmingly until a demon made several attempts to steal it. Since she was the only outsider who had ever made it into the Sacred Realm, I personally pursued her and occasionally battled her. We were quite evenly matched, so our battles evolved into something more reminiscent of miniature wars, with each of us concocting new ways to defeat one another. You may have heard of her, the Shadow Queen."

"Yes, we've heard of her," Zelda nodded.

"To hold things together while I was gone, I created things like the Seven Star Spirits, the Star Rod, and the Wanderer. While they were useful in battle against the likes of the Shadow Queen, they were better at preserving peace than enforcing it. As you well know, the Seven Stars are an inspiration to people all across the globe, much like the Triforce in Hyrule. With them in place, the Shadow Queen's influence could not spread so easily."

"Then, how did you become trapped in the Forbidden Seal?" Zelda asked.

"It was my mother, wasn't it?" Peach asked.

"Correct," the Empress nodded. "She had gotten the idea that she should have and raise a child, something that would be unacceptable in her duties, not to mention a violation of the Oath to Order. I tried to correct her mistake, but she did not respond as well as I had hoped and used my own laws to create a seal."

Peach frowned at her. "Didn't you try to abort my sister while the Stork was still carrying her."

"In a manner of speaking," she replied. "Try not to be too upset. She violated the Oath when she sealed me away and by making personal familial contact with her daughter, she violated the Oath to Order yet again."

"And the third was when she left me to save Hyrule, wasn't it?" Peach said defensively.

"She could've easily avoided the last one if she hadn't debased herself with a Toad," Shine said dismissively.

"Hey!" Mario said.

"That's my father!" Peach yelled angrily. "And she didn't debase herself. They were in love."

"I understand if you don't see it from my perspective." Then, she turned to Zelda. "Zelda, Link. What do you think of the idea of an angel made for battle having physical relations with a humanoid mushroom?"

Zelda had an awkward look on her face, while Link was outright shocked.

"Exactly my point."

"Tell me, erm, Your Majesty," Zelda said nervously. "Were recent events just pure coincidence that worked to your favor?"

"Oh, heavens no. I orchestrated things from the background," she said getting shocked looks from Peach and Zelda. "It was all rather ingenious, if I do say so myself. First, I amplified Bowser's inner evil, knowing that he would be much more competent and ruthless in his endeavor, such as stealing the Star Rod. I made it possible for him to communicate with Ganondorf since both were present in some form of the Dark World. I needed Ganondorf to be able to get his hands on all three pieces of the Triforce, so I figured he would need some assistance. I also provided Twinrova with the visions necessary to anticipate resistance from you, Link, and the Sages. When Bowser managed to capture you and Peach and create clones, I saw yet another opportunity. As you've no doubt seen, the clones are quite soulless. So, I implanted two of them…"

"Us," Drow and Morel said.

"…with souls so that they would do my bidding. They developed quite well and set the Sages against one another, violating yet another section of the Forbidden Seal, especially when you made a habit of killing them off."

"Huh?" Link asked.

"Then, came the risky part," she continued. "I needed you to awaken Oni from the Fierce Deity Mask. I was quite relieved when you opted to save Peach's life rather than have him…eh…_fix_ things. Had you done that, it would have doomed me completely. But because of his cure, Peach would be vomiting blood for some time. And of course, it lasted long enough for her to stain the Mushroom World with the first drops of blood it had seen in over a millennium. The one drawback was that I had not expected my servants to become so…attached…and I mean to each other and you and Peach. So, to ensure that they would continue doing a good job, I gave them something that all of Bowser's other clones were incapable of doing…being with child. It was the only thing they really wanted besides each other. With that encouragement, they set about finding out how to use curse words in the Mushroom Worlds and finally guarantee that Ganondorf received the final Triforce piece. A bit convoluted, but quite clever, wouldn't you say?"

Zelda glanced over to Peach, who had a similarly bothered expression on her face. "Pardon me," Zelda said, "but I'm afraid I take issue with your methods. Although I can't argue with the results, it took an awful lot of suffering to accomplish, don't you think?"

"The first law to be broken must be within one year of the final one to be broken," Shine said. "And we're ahead of schedule. All of the ills of my methodology will be fixed in a very short time. I guarantee it."

"Not all wounds heal so easily," Zelda said quietly, folding her arms.

"That's exactly why mortals eventually grow old and die," she said flippantly, walking to Peach. "Now you, Peach, are much different. Despite your partially fungal heritage, you are destined for so much more than just being the _de facto_ ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom. Under my guidance, you will rule the entire planet and more. You'll have all the power and security you could ever need."

"Whoa," Peach said haltingly. "I don't want to rule the world. I just want things to go back to the way they were."

"Oh, I'm afraid it's much too late for that. I must cleanse this world of the evil that has pervaded it. I aim to make it a learning experience for you, so that you will reach your true potential. Your mother certainly let things decay after she banished me. It will take extreme measures to fix the damage, and I would appreciate your cooperation."

"What kind of measures are you talking about?"

"This is beginning to sound awfully similar to Oni's plans," Zelda said.

"Nothing that horrendous," the Empress said. "My first step will be to destroy the Shadow Queen while she still sleeps in her weakened state. It will spare you, Peach, the fate of being her new vessel as the Fierce Deity intended. Then, I will purge the world of the evil that has accumulated over the past thousand years, starting with the Dark World and Dark Land. But before that…" she said, crouching to hug Peach, "I must purify you."

"What do you mean?" Peach asked, feeling her warmth.

"Your Toad blood prevents you from living up to your true potential. It's a shame really."

"Wait a minute," Peach said, pulling away and backing to Mario. "I like being a Toad, even if it doesn't let me be an angel. I'm just now finding out what I am, and you want to take that away? I'm sorry, but I don't want that."

The Wanderer in a white cloak appeared next to Empress Shine and said without feeling, "Peach, it is okay to be scared. However, there is no sense in refusing such a gift. You are indeed a Princess; accept it."

"No," Peach said defiantly. "I'm only half-angel. That's the way I was born, and I think I should stay that way."

"Listen to your mother, Peach," Empress Shine said.

"She's not my mother," Peach said guardedly. "My mother actually cares about what I think. She would never force her beliefs on me. If she knew that I didn't want something, she wouldn't press it. She would defend me."

"Do not antagonize your grandmother," the Wanderer warned emotionlessly, stepping forward. "I've never had to take my hand to you before. Don't make me start now."

"Now, I know you're not my mother!" Peach said, hiding behind Mario. "Who are you?"

"She's the good part of your mother," the Empress said. "The part that is strong, brave, dutiful, loyal…"

"And dead inside," Zelda added cautiously. "Peach's mother was full of warmth. This being is almost as cold as those clones Bowser created. Stay away from her."

"Zelda, this is none of your concern," Empress Shine said. "Now, you and Link go back to Hyrule and be glad that Ganondorf is gone forever." Before Zelda could argue, she and Link disappeared to Hyrule. Mario took a fighting stance as he stood in front of Peach. "And you may return to your friends." Mario disappeared in a similar fashion.

Peach backed away with a look of fright on her face. "Why are you so determined to make me an angel?"

"To be perfectly honest," the Empress said, "I'm rather disgusted by the idea of a Toad nephil."

"Nephil?"

"An abomination," the Wanderer said, approaching her. "Nephilim are the product of unholy union between angels and mortals. Let her fix my mistake."

"I'm not a mistake!" Peach yelled. "Stay away from me!"

"Hold still," the Wanderer said, grabbing her arm.

"Ow!" Peach cried painfully. "You're hurting me!"

There was a spark that forced the Wanderer to let her go. The Wanderer looked at her hand as it began to degrade and fade away.

Empress Shine frowned and folded her arms as the Wanderer completely faded away. "It seems your mother still chooses to interfere, even when all that is left of her is her dark side stuck in her own little prison."

"You mean…that person who was just here…she was…"

"Her light side, of course," Shine smiled. "The best part of anyone. I suppose I'll just have to get my hands dirty."

"Morel, Drow!" Peach screamed. "Please, help me!" The clones turned away uncomfortably, avoiding her pleading eyes.

"Really now, it won't be bad at all." Several colored lights suddenly wisped onto the platform. There were Zelda, Link, Ingrid, Saria, Ruto, Darunia, Impa, and Nabooru all appeared.

"Stay away from her!" Zelda yelled arming a Dark Arrow. A thorny stalk grew out of the platform and wrapped around Empress Shine. A circle of fire then surrounded her. A bubbled filled with water then enveloped her."

"Tell me," Ingrid said. "Can an angel be killed?"

"Not by you," Shine replied, instantly dispelling all of the Sage's spells. "Guardians of the Triforce really shouldn't fight one another. Didn't you learn anything?"

"You're the one who made us do it!" Ruto snapped, glancing at the clones.

"Give us one reason why we shouldn't fight you," Saria said.

"I find it best to look deep inside oneself for the truest answers," Shine said. Nabooru, Impa, and Ingrid began to activate their powers as Shine snapped her fingers. Suddenly, a double of each Sage except for Zelda appeared. "Let's see what your light sides think, hmm?"

Saria's light side took the form of a child with almost blonde hair in a white dress. "Saria, we don't need to fight anymore. It's not right. Fighting is never the answer."

Darunia's light side was a jolly Goron with nearly yellow skin. "Hey, brother, come on. What kind of example would we be setting for our son? Wouldn't you rather dance instead?" Light Saria began to play her song and Light Darunia immediately began to dance, while their counterparts looked on bitterly.

Light Ruto was completely white instead of sky blue. "Temper, temper, Ruto. Remember what a bad impression we made on Link with that attitude? Just smile and relax." Ruto blushed and only got angrier.

Light Impa began to say something, but Impa immediately put her into a headlock and said, "The less you say, the better!"

Before Ingrid could attack her light counterpart, the Ingrid in white teleported in front of Zelda. To Zelda's surprise, she hugged her. "How's my little girl?" she said in a saccharine voice. "Mommy's been such a bitter Betty, but you know she loves you right? And you don't have to fight if you don't want to."

"This is getting weird," Link muttered, glancing at Empress Shine humming along to Saria's Song.

"It's far beyond weird," Zelda said, trying to escape the smothering hug.

Light Nabooru wore a white dress with her hair down and just looked at her counterpart inquisitively. "Just don't get yourself killed, all right?"

"That's it?" Nabooru asked. "No sappy, goody-two-shoes mush?"

"I'm not gonna stop you from doing what's right," her light side shrugged. "You and I both know you're too mellow for this trick to work much."

"Good point," Nabooru said, focusing her power. Almost instantly, all the light versions disappeared. Before anyone could get closer to the Empress, there was a barrier put up that prevented them from passing.

"They're awfully eager for a fight," the Empress said, taking Peach by her hand. "And I was enjoying that musical interlude, too."

"No! Please, don't do this!" Peach pleaded.

"You'll thank me for this." She put her palm over Peach's brooch and the princess began to glow. "This might sting." As soon as she released her, Peach fell over screaming and writhing in pain.

"What have you done?" Zelda shouted. "You're hurting her!"

"I'm simply purifying her," Empress Shine said matter-of-factly. "And the only way to fix impurities so rooted in her blood…is to kill the Toad part of her. Now, I have other matters to attend to. Peach, I'll be in the Dark Land when you're ready. I hope you don't mind returning a few trinkets to me, by the way." The Shine Sprites streamed out of Peach and into her "grandmother." With that done, the Star Rod glowed. Her wings wrapped around her body and she disappeared in a rush of particles.

Zelda banged on the shield repeatedly, desperate to help Peach. Ingrid put her hand on her shoulder. "That's enough, Zelda."

"We have to help her!" Zelda insisted.

"There is nothing we can do for her right now," Impa said. "All we can do is make sure that so-called angel doesn't get away. She's too dangerous to just ignore."

"Don't forget," Nabooru said. "She has the Triforce."

"And the Star Rod," Zelda added.

"Hey," Link spoke up. "What about them?" He pointed to Morel and Drow on the other side of the shield. They looked on the tortured form of Peach in anguish.

"Leave them," Zelda said, turning her back on them. "They've done enough damage." She put a hand on Link and teleported away with him. The rest of the Sages followed suit.

With tears streaming down her eyes, Peach reached up to Morel and Drow. "Please…help me…" The clones stepped back and averted their eyes. They held each other and disappeared.

Peach continued to feel the strange burning sensation course through her body. It had all started from the point in her chest where her brooch was. The pain got to the point that she felt as if her entire body was ready to explode. Then, there was an abruptly numb feeling and her body went limp. She felt gentle warmth at her core as well as a sharp, though somehow painless sensation in her back. She saw a strange light float above her.

A familiar voice said, "Hey, sorry I'm late…Hey! Where is everybody? Are you okay?"


	46. Angelic Arrogance

**Angelic Arrogance**

As Geno and the two Great Fairies waited in the air, a bright flash appeared next to them and Empress Shine unfolded her wings. The Great Fairies were startled, particularly the Great Fairy of the Depths. They both bowed immediately.

"Thank you, ladies," the Empress said. "It's been quite some time since I last saw either of you. You may return to your homes. I'll take care of things from here."

"Excuse me," Geno spoke up.

She summoned a block for him to stand on as she beckoned the Great Fairies to leave. "Ah, yes, my little guardian. You've done a good job of taking care of my favorite stars."

"_Your_ stars?" Geno questioned. "I don't believe we've met."

"You're quite right," she nodded as the Seven Star Spirits flowed from him and orbited her. "But I am well aware of your exploits."

"I go by the name Geno," he said. "And I'd like to know what makes you think these stars are yours."

"Because I made them," she said.

"Hmph, right," he said, cocking his fist at her. "I've heard that before." When his Rocket Punch exploded on her harmlessly, he had a look of confusion on his face.

She giggled, "What an excellent guardian you are, Xymqt!"

"Huh?" Geno said, widening his eyes in utter astonishment. "You…you know how to pronounce my real name? Who are you?"

"I am Empress Shine," she said. "You're much too young to have ever known me, but I can guarantee that I did indeed create these stars. You've memorized the Celestial Bylaws, correct?"

"Yes, um, ma'am," he said.

"Chapter One, Article Two, paragraph six, sentence…hmm, say eight or so. The creator shall retain all rights and responsibilities of all Level 7 artifacts and lower. Password 067 Light, White, and Bright."

Geno was staring blankly ahead, processing the information. Then he blinked. "I never imagined I'd ever meet the creator. Wait…are you the one who helped Peach and Zelda?"

"Yes. I helped Peach more than she appreciated, but she'll come around."

"What do you intend to do now that you've returned?"

"Destroy evil and such," she shrugged. "Such as these wretched turtles."

"Excuse me?"

"Koopas," she said. "They and the rest of those vile creatures under the employ of the Great Demon Koopa family must all be destroyed. And as my ever so talented guardian, I'd like you to assist me. But before that, it's off to destroy the Shadow Que…"

"Hold on a second," he said. "Are you talking about genocide?"

"Now, Xymqt, genocide is such an ugly word. Genocide is when you murder good people. And Koopas have proven themselves not to be worthy of being called _good people_. What I intend is more like…ethnic cleansing. But we're getting ahead of ourselves. First the Shadow…"

"No," he said sternly.

"Hmm?"

"I won't let you slaughter innocent lives just because of what they are," Geno said, charging up his beam cannons.

"Morality is none of your concern, little one," she said seriously. "You're a guardian and nothing more. Why stain your record with this affront?"

A transport ship carrying Zelda and Link on top arrived. Zelda sneered, "Because you're a demon, that's why! Geno, she hurt Peach!"

"I was making her into an angel," she sighed. "Why do you insist on pestering me? Your world is at peace. Why don't you go home?"

"Because you're no angel," Geno said, firing twin beams at her. When the energy subsided, she still floated there, looking completely unharmed.

"You don't know who you're trifling with, do you?" she said, raising an eyebrow. The Seven Stars began to circle faster until they were only a blur around her. There was a flash of light and she grew to tremendous proportions. Just one of her dainty fingernails was bigger than Geno. She now had six wings, each one containing one of the Seven Stars. The seventh, yellow star was now part of a necklace and seemed to have the Star Rod melded into it. "Officer, I'm afraid I'm just going to have let you go."

"What do you mean?" he asked, glaring at her.

"You're fired," she said, just before firing twin beams out of her eyes. They obliterated the block and Geno's body with it. All that was left were two little stars. One was Geno and the other was the Millennium Star that had been hiding under his hat. "Well, what have we here? Are you a newborn Millenial?"

Both stars quickly rushed over to Zelda and Link. The pilot of their ship was so startled that he immediately had it pull away and fly back towards the fleet. With no one in her way, Empress Shine began her long, but rather casual flight to the location of the Palace of Shadow.

Link and Zelda slipped back into the transport ship. Zelda took the radio receiver and called in, "Daisy, are you there? This is Zelda. Please answer."

"Zelda?" Daisy's bewildered voice answered. "Did you guys win? Everybody's talking about some sort of angel."

"It's the person who was sealed behind the Forbidden Seal," Zelda said. "The short version is that after she was released, she won the battle for us, but she's up to no good. She tried to turn Peach into an angel against her will and it was a very painful sight. Now, she intends to destroy the Shadow Queen and commit genocide against all the creatures under Bowser's rule. Koopas, Goombas, all of them."

"That's a mouthful, isn't it? The Shadow Queen bit doesn't sound half bad, but the rest… Should we wait until after she takes out the Shadow Queen?"

"No," Geno's said in his now somewhat high-pitched voice. "The Shadow Queen will just be a warm-up. After that, she could obliterate anything she wanted to whenever she wanted to. We have to attack immediately."

"Is it even, like, possible to take down an angel?" she asked.

"We'll find out," Zelda said. "Let's at least try to ground her so that she's easier to attack."

"I'm on it," Daisy said.

* * *

"Alright, guys," Daisy said to her two wingmen. "She's heading southeast. Let's try to take her down before she can get out of the Dark Land." As they closed in on her, they noticed the dark sky becoming much brighter, almost sunny. "Aim for the wings."

The Arwings swooped by one wing and blasted it with laser fire. Empress Shine looked over her shoulder curiously and saw the jets fly by. "Daisy, is that you?"

"How does she know me?" Daisy asked. "She must have some really good vision."

"Indeed, and good hearing too," she said. "You needn't waste your time shooting at me. The most you'll do with those lasers is give me an annoying itch."

"Oh, really? Then, scratch this!" she said firing a Nova Bomb at her face. The seraph smacked the missile and it harmlessly detonated on her hand.

"You know, I was considering purifying you," she said, narrowing her eyes. "But I'm not sure you're worth saving. I'm sure Peach would have loved to have another former nephil with her. But seeing as how you're almost completely human, I might as well just euthanize you."

Daisy barrel-rolled away from the eye lasers and dove straight downward. Just as she had hoped, the Empress followed her. She gracefully floated just above the ground and continued to follow Daisy, smiling as she took shots at the Arwing. When she happened to touch down with her feet, a new seal glowed all around beneath her feet. The colors and symbols of each Sage appeared around her.

She spotted Link standing at her feet as he put on a peculiar mask. Suddenly, he grew to her height, armed with his Master Sword. He wasted no time in running her through with the sword.

"Nice try," she said in an unflinching manner. She literally stepped through the sword as if it wasn't there. He tried to strike her, but each swipe passed through her. "Silly boy. That sword was forged of light. You couldn't hurt me with that no matter how…"

Daisy suddenly flew by and plopped a bomb into her open mouth. She reflexively clasped her hand over her mouth and accidentally swallowed. Link switched his Master Sword for the Great Fairy Sword and knocked her back. As the bomb detonated within her, she unceremoniously burped and clutched her stomach. Even though Link was striking her repeatedly, she barely moved and looked somewhat queasy, almost ignoring the blows she was taking. She cringed as smoke exited her mouth and nostrils, watching the sky for Arwings. As soon as she saw one, she reached out and crushed it in her hands. She quickly swatted another one like a fly, sending it down in flames. She knew the final one to be Daisy's and immediately fired off a barrage of eye laser blasts. Daisy boosted out of the way and behind Link. Link, not having a shield, braced himself as best as he could.

Strangely, Empress Shine stopped before she could hit him, but tracked Daisy's flight path. As soon as Link was no longer between them, the Empress fired again. Link thought quickly and tried to put himself in the way again. The Empress looked away to avoid hitting him and yelled, "Get out of my way!" When he stood his ground, she phased through him like a ghost through a wall and continued firing at Daisy. When Link got in front of her again, she removed his mask and incinerated it in her hands, making him shrink down to normal size.

As the Empress neared the edge of the seal, she felt a force field blocking her. She had a look of amusement on her face and continued to track Daisy's flight path. Taking careful aim, she fired another pair of eye lasers into the distance. They clipped Daisy's wings just as she had calculated, crippling the Arwing. Daisy ejected out of the ship just before Empress Shine blew it up with another blast. Before she could make the final blow, a new mech swooped in and caught Daisy.

It was more humanoid than the previous mechs. It also appeared rather sleek, having about the same size as a Mario Mech, but with more powerful thrusters in the back. Daisy lay inside its shield hand, while it pointed its arm cannon at the seraph. Daisy looked up at the mech and raised an eyebrow.

"Sis? What are you doing here?"

"I thought I might make an appearance," Syrup answered. "I'm guessing you guys botched that Forbidden Seal deal, right?"

"Yeah," Daisy said sheepishly. "Get me back to the fleet so I can get a new jet."

"You got it," Syrup said, sending the mech into overdrive as it boosted away.

"Hmph," Shine said, watching them fly away. "How very rude. Oh, well. I'll just have to see to them later." She floated in the opposite direction and rather easily broke through the force field.

"This is bad," Link said as Zelda appeared next to him. "If the Sages can't even hold her still, what are we supposed to do?"

"I don't know," she said distraughtly. "Light magic is useless against her and my dark arrows aren't powerful enough. I don't think we can win this one."

"That's where you're wrong," Peach said, walking out of a bright flash of light. A blue glowing humanoid with delicate wings on her back quickly joined her. She had short hair and the only parts of her face that could be seen because of the brightness where her eyes were.

"Hey, Link!" the otherworldly creature said, quickly flying to him and grasping him in a hug.

He recognized the somewhat high-pitched voice and whispered, "Navi?"

"Good, you remember!"

"Navi!" Link laughed, squeezing her affectionately. "Where have you been? I looked everywhere for you. And what happened? You look different…"

"It's a long story," Navi said.

"Peach, are you alright?" Zelda asked, looking at her friend. The Mushroom Princess had a look of calm on her face. Though her clothes and hair were still a mess, she looked nearly at peace and had a gentle glow about her. Her hair flowed in the air mysteriously. Most noticeably, there was a green jewel in her navel.

"I'm fine, Zelda," Peach nodded. "Grandma Shine did me a favor."

"What are you saying? She was tormenting you."

"True. But she also gave me the power to stop her," Peach said, turning to look at the seraph far in the distance. "And Navi has a plan."

"I'll bet you really miss my hints and tips," Navi smiled at Link. "Okay, here's the deal. While Shine has all of that power, we can't actually hurt her, only distract her. We need to remove the Star Spirits and the Star Rod from her. If we can do all of that, we might have a chance."

"How do we do that?" Zelda asked.

"You and the other Sages do as much as you can to stop and distract her. Just focus on getting her attention and slowing her down. Meanwhile, Peach will focus on weakening the stars so she can remove them."

"And the Triforce?" Peach asked.

"There's nothing we can do about that," Navi said. "It's too powerful to strip from her, especially since the whole thing is together like that…at least until we take the other things away first. Link, you're with me. We'll be getting in her face. Plus I got something for you." She held out her hands and the Double-Helix Sword floated above them. "This is why I'm late. I thought it wouldn't hurt to ask a certain someone for a small favor."

"What did he want in return?" Zelda asked suspiciously.

"Nothing you have to worry about," she grinned nervously, adding under her breath, "…at least for a few thousand years…"

"Is this plan really sane?" Zelda asked. "I know she must be stopped, but…she could just wipe us out with a flick of the wrist. She's only been toying with us thus far."

"I have a feeling it's more than that," Link said. "She was trying really hard not to hit me."

"I can explain that," Geno said, coming from underneath Link's hat.

"Geno?" Peach raised her eyebrows.

"And the Millennium Star, too," the little guardian said. "Anyway, Empress Shine isn't allowed to harm Link and the Sages. For one, they are creations of the Golden Goddesses. And secondly, they are protectors of the Triforce. Remember that rule in the Forbidden Seal, Zelda?"

"Guardians of the Triforce shalt not strike each other down…"

"Exactly. She won't risk the ire of the Three Goddesses and she's honorable enough not to break her own rules, at least not directly. That gives us some kind of advantage."

"Okay, so we make a distraction while Peach…how is Peach supposed to remove them?" Zelda asked.

"Don't worry about it," Peach winked, spreading angel wings.

"Peach…" Zelda said in awe.

"She did this to me, so I'm going to put them to good use."

"Be careful," Geno said. "She knows our plan. She can hear us."

"We have some catching up to do," Peach said. "Millennium, you stay with Geno and Link, okay? You'll be safe there."

Suddenly, there was a rush of air as Mario zoomed by overhead wearing a Wing Cap. He was going so fast, he sounded like a jet. Peach watched him and smiled as she slowly rose into the air. "That's my Mario." With a flap of her wings, she zoomed after him.

"Let's go!" Navi exclaimed, grabbing onto Link's back and lifting him into the air. Acting as his wings, she flew at full speed to try and keep up with the others.

Zelda looked up at them and sighed. "Good luck." She disappeared in a flash.

* * *

Empress Shine was flying along at a steady pace when she sensed something quickly approaching from behind. When she turned around, Mario flew straight into her forehead, fists forward. She felt the impact, but it was like being hit by a very small grain of sand. She tried to squash him between her hands but he flew out of the way. She swatted at him agitatedly, but he was too fast.

"Your powers won't last for long," she warned. She flinched as she felt something on one of her wings break off. She craned her neck and saw Peach absorbing one of the Star Spirits. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Don't mind me," Peach smiled. "I'm just using what you gave me."

"I'm warning you, child," she said sternly. "Do not stand against m…" She flinched as Mario flew into her eye. "You miserable little…" She held her hand over her eye as he buzzed about her like a fly. When he tried to dive at her again, she clapped him between her hands. His limp body fell down towards the ground. A flurry of Power Stars flew down to catch him and empowered him. He instantly revived and zoomed back into the fight.

The Empress snatched up both him and Peach and held them tightly. Before she could relax, she felt dark energy strike her. This attack actually stung and made her let go of Mario and Peach. It had come from the Double-Helix Sword Link held. Shine began to consider simply moving on, but her leg was being anchored with something. As she expected, it was a very large vine. A ring of fire formed in midair. Seeing her own shadow reach up from the ground and grab onto her other leg was something she did not expect, especially since she had never known herself to have a shadow.

She quickly realized she was falling for their plan as Peach pilfered two more stars from her. She snatched up Navi and Link in one hand. As Mario made another flyby, she flew higher, breaking away from her restraints. Massive tornadoes began to form around her, but they did little to hinder her. Mario flew in front of her, but not to strike her. Instead, he simply made faces at her. She vaporized him immediately with her eye beams. She flinched as she felt something prick her back. She turned around and saw Ingrid holding Zelda, who had just fired a Dark Arrow. They disappeared out of the air before she could do anything about them.

As she felt Peach loosening another Star from her, she flicked her wing and batted Peach away. Grunting, she sped up her flight and began to phase out, until Peach called out, "Running away? Are you really afraid of a bunch of lower life forms? Or are you just running away so that you'll have enough power to beat the Shadow Queen? Can't do it without the Stars, huh?"

"Silence!" Shine growled between grit teeth. Still holding Link and Navi tightly, she held them up and put her thumb to Link's head. "Unless you want to see me pop your friend's head, I suggest you return those Stars and leave me to my work. That goes for all of you." The tornadoes suddenly dissipated and the ring of fire disappeared.

"Don't listen to her!" Link yelled. "Even if she isn't bluffing, you know what you have to do!"

"I'll call your bluff," Peach said, darting straight toward her.

"Fool!" Empress Shine fired her eyebeams, but Peach was fast enough to dodge them even as they tracked her. In only a second, Peach was near one of her wings. Unfortunately, her grandmother was faster, as she was snatched up in the other hand. "Did you really think you could get by me so easily?"

Mario suddenly flew out of the sky, good as new, and rocketed into her eye again. The impact stunned her just long enough for her captors to slip away. Before they could resume attacking, the Star Rod glowed and created a barrier around her.

"Let's see you get through this," she smirked arrogantly. Her attention was diverted when she saw something in the distance behind them. The entire Sarasaland fleet was flying straight for her, with all fighters in front. Once again, she seemed amused. "So passionate…and for what? The very people that tried to take over the world." She happened to notice her current opponents become distracted. To her surprise, they all began to retreat back to the fleet as fast as they could. "A slightly wiser strategy, I suppose."

She maintained her path, but slowed a bit, intrigued at the idea of having an entire fleet all focusing on her. Now that she knew what to expect from their ships, she thought the fight would be much more fun now. As she flew backwards to keep a careful eye on the ships, she noticed that they were slowing down. She frowned disappointedly. It seemed that they had thought better of it. She shrugged, knowing that at least they had seen the error of their ways and would be forgiven. Then, her sensitive ears heard the very distinct sound of thrust, much closer than the fleet was. Squinting, she saw hundreds of Bullet Bills headed straight for her. She scratched her head, not knowing whether to she should feel amused or insulted.

She stopped her flight and sat in the air, willing to show them exactly how tough she was, even without her shield. She couldn't help putting aside the nagging thought that something was up, but she didn't hear or see anything else peculiar.

* * *

"Do you think she'll fall for it?" Zelda asked, standing in the launch bay of a carrier ship. Peach floated just beyond the ship, watching. Zelda glanced at her and noticed that Peach had no expression on her face other than a look of deep thought. Zelda wasn't even sure if Peach heard her.

Geno floated up next to Zelda. "There's no doubt she'll fall for it. She's more arrogant than Bowser and Ganondorf put together. The real question is, will it work?"

"Won't she hear us?" Navi whispered, flying them with Link.

"No," Peach said, staring ahead. "She's not as powerful as she wants us to think. If she still had the stars, we'd be in trouble. But without them…"

"She still has four of them," Navi said.

The intercom sounded off, "All ships, prepare for detonation. Initiate impact readiness procedures."

"So, what are those things?" Link asked.

"Bullet Bills," Mario said, flying into the launch bay.

"Not just any Bullet Bills," Daisy said, stepping out of the darkness of the launch bay. "Death Metals."

"What?" Link asked.

"Flying bullet make big boom," Daisy said like a Neanderthal. "Come on, everybody inside. We're like, well-within the fifty-mile range."

"Is that a lot?" Zelda asked.

"We're only about ten miles away," Daisy said. "Unless you want to be vaped, better come on in. We managed to find a good buffer for the shields though, so it's safe as long as you're inside."

Everyone began to go inside, everyone except Peach. Mario noticed and said, "Peach? Okey-dokie?"

"We'll stay out here," she said, still looking into the distance.

"We?" Daisy asked, as everyone waited for her.

"The Millennium Star and I," Peach said.

"Peach, I know you're an angel now and everything, but if those things can hurt her a little, they're going to hurt you a lot."

"Come inside," Zelda beckoned.

"They won't be enough," Peach said. "I'll have to remove the Stars before she pulls herself together."

"Peach, don't be crazy!" Daisy said irritably. "You'll get yourself killed."

"I'll be fine," Peach said as the launch bay began to close.

"Don't do this!" Mario called out to her. Before it had fully shut, he saw Peach glance at him and smile, holding up the V-sign.

"Brace for impact in T-minus 20 seconds," the intercoms said.

"Ready?" Peach asked the Millennium Star, which was hiding in her crown. "Good. Let's give it all we've got." She spun in place and powered up for a brief moment. Then, she was off, blazing at supersonic speed.


	47. The Genocide Attack

**The Genocide Attack**

Empress Shine waited patiently, for the missiles to arrive, though she was beginning to get bored. Then, she spotted Peach going unusually fast far behind. She figured that Peach knew the futility of the missiles. However, she hoped Peach had come to apologize rather than attempt more treachery. For her sake, of course. Besides that though, she was getting an increasingly bad feeling, almost anxiety. She had no idea why.

The Bullet Bills had nearly reached her. She noticed that they looked rather intent on striking her. There was something strangely cute about their futile effort to her. She couldn't help but smile. "Maybe I'll spare the Bullet Bills in the end. They certainly like what they do, just as I intended." Upon closer inspection with her nearly telescopic vision, she noticed these missiles had absolutely no sheen to them at all. It was very strange, considering that she had made it a very sunny day, with nary a cloud in her region. It also made her feel more nervous, as if she was supposed to remember something. She shrugged and chalked it up to Peach's approach.

The Bullet Bills all angled themselves in such a way that most of them would be able to hit her simultaneously. She put on a confident face and looked straight at Peach, who was still some distance behind. To her bemusement, Peach knew she was being watched and winked back. Before Empress Shine could think about it, the Bullet Bills struck and detonated.

* * *

Peach saw the bubble of darkness grow around Empress Shine as the Death Metals continued to explode. The last look she had seen on Shine's face had been one of surprise and confusion. Now, not even her aura could penetrate the darkness. Peach surged through the growing darkness, praying that her speed, aura, and the Millennium Star's power could keep her relatively safe.

The air immediately became freezing cold, and it was almost impossible to see. The air was foul in an unusual way. It did not stink, nor was it nauseating, but somehow there was something distinctly unwholesome and fierce about the air. Peach could feel her spine tingling and her wings trembling. Even the Millennium Star was shaking with fear.

"Hold on," she said, nearly choking on the air. "It's almost over. We're almost there."

The others had gathered in the hangar and watched the monitors as the giant ball of blackness grew in size and quickly approached. Everyone held onto something that was anchored down. The impact felt as if they were caught in a powerful earthquake.

"Hold on!" Daisy yelled, being secured by other soldiers.

Mario made his usual squealing noises as his legs flailed all about while he hung onto an open panel door. Zelda, Navi, and Link all held onto one another as they were tossed about. Geno flew out of Link's hat and bounced off the walls erratically. It seemed as if the tremors would never end. The monitors had long gone out completely.

"How many missiles did we fire?" Zelda yelled over the noise.

"Just under 800," Daisy replied. "We took them from Bowser's ships." The tremors ended before she finished, and she blushed for yelling during the recent silence. "Yeah, he wasn't messing around."

"Did they work?" Navi asked, looking to the black screens on the monitors.

"Can we get a better picture?" Daisy asked.

"No ma'am," a technician said, getting his bearings together. "There's nothing but dark clouds out there now. Our radars can barely penetrate it."

"When can we get back in the fight?"

"Once the cloud dissipates a little," he replied. "That many bombs in one spot…much too toxic for any living thing. It's too dangerous to even open the launch bay doors."

"Don't we have an airlock system?"

"Sorry, Princess, but these aren't starships."

"What? Why not?"

"They would have taken an extra six months to complete."

"Darn it," Daisy muttered. "Peach, you better be alive."

* * *

Peach made it through the explosions and finally arrived at the spot where Empress Shine was. Peach had accumulated quite a bit of ash along the way. Her grandmother was covered in it in a petrified state. Peach quickly flew behind her and began removing the final stars. As she absorbed one, she heard a crackling sound. One of the Empress's starless wings was trying to break free. Instead of shedding the ash, it simply snapped off like a tree branch and plummeted below. Peach stared at it until it disappeared into the darkness. It was a wonder she could see at all.

One-by-one, she removed the stars, accidentally breaking off some wings in the process. When only one remained, she flew up in front of Empress Shine and pulled on the necklace. After she managed to pull away the final Star, only the Star Rod remained, still tethered to the chain of now dim light. As she took hold of it, the statuesque Empress began to shake. More cracks spread throughout her body, even where there was no ash. A burst of light from her chest knocked Peach away. Peach backed away just as her grandmother's body exploded with light.

Once Peach looked, she saw the darkness retreat somewhat. The Star Rod was in the hand of the now normal-sized Shining Empress. She only had two wings, as before. Her skin was no longer white, but now yellow. Her lips were curved into a frown and she had her arms folded.

"Very clever," Empress Shine said. "Now, if you wouldn't mind giving me back the Star Spirits…"

"Actually, I do mind," Peach replied. "I don't think you deserve these. You don't seem to know how they should be used."

"I beg your pardon?" Shine bristled.

"You don't need them anyway," Peach said dismissively. "Why don't you go ahead and destroy the Shadow Queen like you intended."

"Intended? Correction; I still intend to."

"What's stopping you?" Peach smirked.

Shine's face flustered. "Give them back."

"Are you avoiding the question? Surely you'd be able to take on the Shadow Queen."

"Of course I can!" Shine barked. "I merely…want to…embarrass her at full power."

"Can't you embarrass her already?"

"Yes…but…that's not the point," she stammered.

"I wonder what would happen if I used them to power up?" Peach said mischievously. "Do you think I would be able to fight you?"

"Ha! You wouldn't last long," Shine nearly laughed. "Don't be a such a brat. Just let me do what needs to be done."

"And risk you going on a killing spree?" Peach said as the Seven Stars began to orbit her.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"I think this counts as a Level-Up," Peach smiled as the Stars went into a blur. A column of light came over her as the Stars flew into her. When the light disappeared, she was in a new dress. It had a pink bodice with a green jewel as the brooch. The short sleeves, collar, and skirt were all white. Her gloves automatically turned into fingerless, white gloves. Her earrings were blue stars. The only things that didn't seem to change were her crown and shoes.

Peach spun in place and posed. "How do you like me now? Are you sure you can fight me while _I_ have the Star Spirits? Wouldn't you rather just call off the fight?"

"Yes, I would," Shine said, glaring at her. "But unless you do as I say, I'm afraid I won't have any choice but to teach you a lesson." She raised the Star Rod up in the air and the dark clouds and smog above began to visibly swirl.

Peach could sense the Empress's energy charging and prepared to defend herself. "Why are you so dead-set on all of this madness? This world has done just fine without you for so long. Why ruin it? If you truly cared about protecting this place, you wouldn't have selfishly caused this war just to get out."

"Because frankly," she said as a sunbeam came down onto her, "I matter so much more than this one pathetic planet. It is a masterpiece to be sure, but it is by no means perfect, nor is it irreplaceable. I aim to make it in my own image, the way it should have been so very long ago."

Peach narrowed her eyes as Shine began to sparkle in the sunlight that only focused on her. "Spending so much time alone in that prison must have gotten to you. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you've developed a god complex."

"A god complex?" Shine nearly laughed. "I was appointed to guard the Triforce by the Golden Goddesses themselves. They knew of my works. This is one of them."

"The Star Rod?"

"And everything you see before you," she said. "When you look up into the night sky to pray, who do pray to?"

"The stars…"

"And who do you think put them there? You don't honestly think that a spontaneous explosion caused by immensely condensed forces just popped this universe into existence, do you? No. _I_ created it. The stars, the sky, the planets…they are all my creations. I was the beginning and I dare say I _will_ be the end if I see fit. And right now… I choose to be the end of all that stands against my will. Koopas, Boos, Goombas, the whole lot of the rogues that have plagued this world will cease to exist. The Shadow Queen will just have to wait…"

"No! You wouldn't!" Peach screamed. She was about to dive straight at her, but Empress Shine pointed the Star Rod at her. It was glowing with a dangerously potent light.

"Hmph, god complex…" Empress Shine chuckled. "Fool. In this world, I _am_ God."

"More like a fallen angel," Peach spat. "It's a wonder you weren't sealed away sooner. It must have been awfully embarrassing to be defeated by someone so much weaker than you."

The Empress's smile disappeared and she looked at the Star Rod humorlessly. "My heart was broken that day… I was betrayed, with no explanation…by my own flesh and blood. But at one time…" The Star Rod glowed more intensely as she pointed it straight up. "So were you!" A gigantic beam flew straight up into the sky, blasting the darkness away so that it was more like a ring rather than a surrounding sphere.

Peach watched helplessly as the beam split off into countless other beams that pierced the darkness and spread all across the land.

* * *

While the Sarasaland Fleet was still attempting to have its radars pierce the seemingly endless smog, much of the crew was busy making repairs and modifications. Daisy was in the hangar of the Flagship recalibrating a second Arwing and customizing its controls. Only a few yards away, her sister was similarly doing maintenance on her XL mech. There were technicians assisting them both.

"Okay, let's get the stick on reversed Y-axis, okay?" Daisy said, sitting in the cockpit.

"Yes, ma'am," a Nokobon said.

Syrup jumped out of her cockpit with a blowtorch and began working on one of the leg thrusters. She was no longer dressed like a princess, but like a pirate. She wore a yellow bandanna, gold bracelets and a yellow sash across her waist. "This is what I get for trying to install a G-diffuser system on a GBM," she muttered. "Okay, boys, I want you to replace all the thruster rings and lets get them…" There was a rumbling noise and the whole ship began to shake. "What now?"

"Attention all ships!" the intercom sounded. "Brace for impact. Heavy battery of energy projectiles incoming!"

The ship shook even more violently and several beams pierced completely through, all seemingly destined to vaporize a Nokobon, Chichibo, or other relative of Bowser's "monsters." None of the beams hit anyone else.

"What the heck just happened?" Syrup exclaimed as all of her technicians had been decimated. "My crew!" The whole ship began to tilt at a dangerous angle.

"Looks like that angel decided to take out anyone even related to the Koopa Kingdom," Daisy said, relatively safe in her Arwing. She radioed in, "Bridge, damage report."

"Heavy," the bridge reported. "We're sustaining a lot of fatalities."

"How's the ship?"

"Manageable. The good news is that there are plenty of holes in that cloud now."

"Then, let's get moving," Daisy said.

* * *

The beams had rained down all over the Dark Lands and much of the rest of the planet as well. Even Sarasaland itself was feeling the wrath of the heavens. Wherever there was a Koopa, Goomba, Boo, or Shy Guy of any type, the beams rained down. The barrage could even been seen from outer space. Not all of the creatures under Bowser's control were targeted. The wild Chomps, nearly untamable, were spared. Mechanicals such as Bullet Bills and Bob-ombs were also spared. Other wildlife such as Piranha Plants, Cheep Cheeps, and even Buzzy Beetles were spared. Only the mutated variants of these wild creatures were destroyed.

Ganondorf's former minions were targeted as well. No Moblin, Lizalfos, or even Stalfos would survive the onslaught so long as they remained in the Mushroom World. By the time any of them saw what was happening, it was too late for them. They would only be safe in the Dark World or Hyrule.

Peach watched the angel in horror, feeling the cries of millions in her soul. The Empress let a smile creep across her face and Peach could stand no more. She flew straight for Empress Shine in a desperate attempt to stop her. Just before she could strike her, the Empress smacked her with the Star Rod. While she was dazed, the Empress then directed the remaining beams to fly into Peach. Although none of them were able to incinerate her as they had done to other beings, she was battered and burned by them, each one pounding her toward the ground. The Shining Empress charged up a final attack and blasted her straight down into the ground, creating a sizeable crater in the volcanic earth of Dark Land.

The Shining Empress jetted straight down and stopped just above Peach, creating a rush of wind in the process. After gracefully touching down and standing over Peach, she held out one hand to her. "It's not too late, Peach. Take my hand. You have nothing left to fight for. We can be a happy family from now on. I will even do my best to free your mother."

Her new dress already ruined, Peach shakily managed to sit up. She gingerly got to one knee and tried to stand up. Empress Shine patiently awaited her answer. Peach looked into her eyes. She formed a bomb in her hand and tried to throw it, but Shine grabbed her by her wrist.

"Don't be foolish," she said, clutching her wrist in a painfully tight grip. "You're a Principality. It's not an Order suited to fighting. I'm giving you more than enough leeway. Don't make me destroy you. I've never had to kill one of my own blood. I have no wish to start now."

"All those people…" Peach said through a pained voice. "There was no reason to kill them… You're just a demon in the guise of an angel. I'm ashamed to be related to you. I swear I'll do everything in my power to make sure you're punished for what you did."

Shine closed her eyes and smacked her to the ground. She planted a foot on Peach's stomach and said quietly, "I'm sorry to hear that." Without another word, she used the Star Rod to impale Peach through her heart. Peach squeaked and raised a hand in weak resistance, but it quickly fell and her body went limp. The Empress removed the Star Rod and solemnly closed Peach's empty eyes. She walked away and with a flap of her wings, was airborne.

She paused as she noticed a green glow, coming from Peach's direction. She turned to look and saw that the green brooch was the source of the light. She was horrified upon seeing the hole she had left in Peach's chest begin to bleed red blood. It quickly closed up and Peach opened her eyes. She floated off the ground and looked up at the Empress with hostility.

"Red blood," the Empress growled under her breath. "It's that jewel, isn't it? Even now, your mother continues to interfere. How dare she allow blood to soil the earth!"

Peach flew straight at her, but the Empress sent a crushing punch that knocked her straight back down into the crater. "It doesn't matter how many lives that jewel gives you. I'll break you so that you won't have the will to stand against me." She floated down and picked Peach up by her hair. "Or better yet, I'll just remove it from you, even if I have to tear it out."

When she grabbed onto the brooch, Peach spat in her face. It was enough of a distraction for her to release Peach, who quickly tried to batter her as best as she could with hard slaps and kicks. Shine quickly floored her once again with another punch. As she reached down to grab the jewel, she cried out in pain and dropped the Star Rod as she felt something slice into her back.

She spun around and saw Link with the Double-Helix Sword. She was shot in the side by a Dark Arrow and grunted as she turned to see Zelda with a bow a short distance away. Before either of them could make a second attack, she sealed them both in bubbles. When she reached for the Star Rod, she found Peach holding onto it as well and tried to pull it away from her. She flung Peach about, desperately trying to break her grip.

Mario soon arrived and helped Peach to try and pull it away. Ingrid teleported in front of the Empress and blasted her with black mist. A vine wrapped around the Empress in an attempt to hinder her. Darunia soon appeared and began to hammer away at her. Nabooru appeared and focused all her energy into Peach. Squadrons of Arwings even showed up, making well-aimed shots on the Empress.

"See how many people are against you?" Peach grunted.

"Your point?" Shine said, still gaining the upper hand. "Even without the Star Spirits, none of you can beat me." Soon the others all retreated as fast as they could. Only Zelda and Link remained, stuck inside the bubbles. "Even your friends know it. Nothing can faze me."

"Not even over a million tons of burning metal?" Peach asked.

The Empress looked up and saw several flaming Sarasaland ships on a collision course with them. "What makes you think you'll fair any better?"

"This!" Peach said, poking her eyes.

"Ah!" the Empress said, letting go to rub her eyes. When she opened them, Peach and the Star Rod were long gone. She quickly tried to get away, but realized that she couldn't leave Link and Zelda there. She went back to them and covered them with herself, beginning to transform in the process.

* * *

Peach floated high above the series of explosions with Mario and Daisy. Peach looked at them both and said, "It's not over yet."

Daisy was surprised that she was able to hear her, but Peach's voice was so clear in that form, even at a distance. "So, what's it going to take to make her stay down?"

"Don't worry," Peach said. "My guess is that she's not going to be feeling too well. With the Star Rod, I should be able to handle her."

"Just remember," Daisy said. "We're all here to help you." As they looked through the smoke of the wreckage, the smoke was all blown away as a red behemoth flew up out of it.

It had monstrous jaws within a vaguely beak-looking mouth. The head was wedge-shaped, like a falcon with a tall, sharp crest and devoid of any eyes. The wings were at least fifty feet wide from tip to tip. It had a diamond-shaped torso and two short legs with talons. It also had two slender arms with disproportionately large hands and claws holding Link and Zelda. Finally, it had a thick, long serpentine tail. Its entire body was the same shade of blood red and all of the limbs were disconnected from the actual body, bonded by an invisible force. It only vaguely resembled the Hylian Phoenix.

"Whoa!" Daisy exclaimed. "What is _that_?"

"That's her," Peach said, mildly surprised. "I don't think angels are supposed to be that monstrous."

"She's-a got your friends," Mario said. As soon as Empress Shine saw the trio, she turned her back on them and began to fly away at high speed.

"And she's heading toward the rest of the fleet," Peach said. "What could she want over there?"

"It's where the portal to the Dark World was," Daisy said. "I think she's trying to make a break for it."

"We can't let her get away," Peach said. She zoomed as fast as she could toward the monstrosity, with Daisy struggling to keep up. Mario did his best not to be left behind.


	48. Her Shining Majesty

**Her Shining Majesty**

"Where are you taking us?" Zelda demanded.

Empress Shine replied in a voice with little semblance to its former state. It echoed, rumbled, and hissed all at once. "Back to Hyrule for you."

"You're running away, aren't you?" Zelda said. "Afraid to fight Peach when she has the…"

"Silence!" Empress Shine growled. She listened to the radio chatter from the fast approaching, but heavily damaged ships of the fleet. She knew the fleet wasn't far from the area with the hidden warp to the Sacred Realm. When she sensed Peach, fast approaching from behind, she turned around and flew backwards, still moving toward her destination.

"And you call yourself an angel!" Peach yelled out at her.

"Insolent little nephil!" the Empress yelled as her mouth began to glow. She spat out three balls of light directly at her. Peach relatively easily pierced each of them by surging forth with the Star Rod. When she was close enough to strike, she slashed the Empress with the Star Rod, but it had little effect. The Empress snapped at her and Peach was forced to back off.

_"Peach,"_ Zelda said telepathically. _"Use Link's Double-Helix Sword."_

"Quiet!" the Empress yelled. "She'll never get close enough." When Peach made an attempt to reach Link, one of the Empress's talons grabbed onto her and squeezed. "Die!"

_"Peach, can you hear me?"_ Geno's voice said. _"Use the power of the Star Spirits and the Star Rod to stun her. Remember the first time Bowser stole them…"_

Peach nodded and focused as best as she could despite the crushing grip she was in. The Seven Stars soon appeared and rotated around Shine. After a few seconds, a beam of pink energy came down onto Shine and she was forced to let go of Peach. Peach quickly tried to make a grab for the Double-Helix Sword, but the Empress was so stunned she let herself fall a bit. When she regained her senses, she swooped even higher. Soon, all the clouds of darkness that remained were below them and there was nothing but red evening sky above them.

The Empress pointed her wings forward and the feathers shot out toward Peach like thin missiles. She tried to dodge them, but she was forced to try knocking one away. Instead of deflecting it, it burst into a rubbery red substance that bound her in place. Peach was unable to move forward and the Empress quickly tried to lose her.

Luckily, Daisy was catching up and blasted the material away. Mario had hitched a ride on her wing to keep pace. "What's the plan?" Daisy asked.

"Cover me and Mario while we try to free our friends," Peach said.

"I can hear you," Empress said. She opened her mouth again. But instead of shooting out three large blasts, she let her mouth remain open to release dozens of much smaller pink orbs. Peach and Mario had a hard time avoiding them, but the fact that they exploded when something got to close like proximity mines made things worse. Daisy did her best to clear away as many as she could. Peach was hit by a blast and fell back.

"Keep going Mario!" she said, as they neared the outer edges of the fleet. She concentrated her energy and held up the Star Rod. Once again, the Seven Stars rotated around Empress Shine, but this time Peach fired the beam directly from the Star Rod. Mario flew in while the Empress was stunned and slowing down. There were too many explosive orbs around Link, but he managed to pull Zelda free. She teleported out immediately.

As soon as Shine regained her senses, she smacked Mario away. She dove beneath the clouds briefly and came back up with a supply ship that was as big as her in her free hand. She lobbed the entire ship at the trio. Daisy and Mario barrel-rolled out of the way. Peach cleaved it in half with the Star Rod, not even bothering to slow down.

"She's totally lost it!" Daisy exclaimed. "If only she didn't have Link. Then, we could open up on her."

"That's exactly why she has him," Peach said. "If only I knew a weak spot."

_"Hey, Peach,"_ Navi's voice said. _"I hope you can hear me. She's vulnerable on the inside. When she opens her mouth, that's where you want to strike. And tell Daisy that her armor's tough. Use bombs wisely!"_

"Daisy," Peach said. "Can your bombs distinguish between the good guys and the bad guys?"

"Yeah, but we've only tested them on machines, not people."

"Now's the time to test them," Peach said. "Pop a bomb into her mouth when you get the chance."

Shine began to launch more of her feathers at them. Daisy shot away most of them, while Peach flung star blasts with the Star Rod to detonate them at a distance. As they passed a larger ship, Shine raked her claws across its hull and shoved it toward them. Daisy dove under it, while Peach went over it. There was a blast far behind them and Mario zoomed past both of them and latched onto Shine's "face," having apparently used a cannon to launch himself back into the fight. He immediately took out a hammer and began to bash away at her head.

When she tried to smash him, he leapt off and let her punch herself. She roared and belched out a trio of light orbs. Instead of deflecting them, Peach swung the Star Rod into them to knock them back. The Empress thrust herself above the orbs and turned her back on them, flapping harder.

"Princess," Daisy's radio buzzed. "We're losing your…ignal. Please res…breaking up. Should we pursue and fire?"

"Negative!" she said urgently. "She still has Link. Do not fire! Just follow."

"She's entering a warp," Peach said, watching the air bend like water. "We can't let her get away now." She flew to Mario and grabbed onto him. "This might get rough!"

Empress Shine suddenly disappeared in a blast of speed. Peach and Mario followed suit, with Daisy not far behind. When they entered the Sacred Realm, they found the space no longer dark at all. It was full of golden light. They experienced the same brief blast of light speed.

The Empress turned around and opened her mouth to release more explosives. Peach immediately focused and activated the Peach Beam to stun her. "Daisy, Mario, now!"

Daisy fired a bomb into Shine's open mouth, while Mario went in to retrieve Link. Shine's head flew back as the bomb exploded within her. Mario easily rescued Link and brought him back to Peach.

"Thanks," Link sighed, handing her the Double-Helix Sword. "Mario, Let's back off for now. We'll just get in the way like this."

"Okey-dokey," Mario said, flying toward the ground with him.

"Go crazy, Daisy," Peach said, focusing.

"Eat it!" Daisy yelled, firing off her lasers directly on Empress Shine. The lasers seemed to be having little effect other than irritating her.

"Go away!" the Empress yelled. She lurched her head back and blew out a jet of white flames. Peach maneuvered around the flames and flung her star blasts at her open mouth, which visibly hurt her. The Empress turned her back on them and tried to speed up.

"Where's she running to now?" Daisy sneered.

"Away from us," Peach said, speeding up and quickly landing on the monster's back. She raised the Double-Helix Sword and jammed it into her back. Shine shrieked and tried to shake her off, now forced to slow down. She turned and twisted, trying to reach for her. Peach twisted the sword, causing the Empress to scream even more. Daisy took her chance and fired another bomb into her mouth. The explosion sent the Empress into a rage. Facing Daisy, she arched her head back, gathering particles of energy in her mouth. Then she blasted a highly concentrated beam of energy at Daisy. Daisy had to boosted straight down to avoid being hit, but just being close to it was quickly depleting her shields.

Peach used another Peach Beam to quickly stun the Empress and cease the particle beam, leaving her mouth open. Daisy's Arwing was giving off plasma discharges from the heavy damage it had taken, but she lined up her sights and fired her remaining seven bombs into Shine's mouth. The combined explosions destroyed Shine's head and jarred Peach off of her back. A long draconic head quickly grew out of the empty hole to replace the previous head. It was burgundy, covered in scales, and had a single yellow eye on the front.

"Keep shooting, Daisy!" Peach said, trying to retrieve the sword.

"Take this you evil hag!" Daisy yelled firing away at the head. With each shot, the head flinched and flashed. It retracted into the body slightly before lunging out with a bite. Daisy strafed out of the way, never ceasing her barrage of lasers.

Peach was able to grab onto the sword and tried to drag it through as much of her flesh as possible. After a wide slit was open, Ingrid, Zelda, and Impa appeared on her back. Ingrid and Impa charged their energies before slamming it into the wound. Zelda jammed a Dark Arrow directly into the wound. The Empress gave out another roar and began to fall, struggling to keep her wings open. She veered to the side and seemed to be aiming for something.

"Have any idea where she's going?" Peach asked, picking up the Double-Helix Sword.

"It's a shortcut," Ingrid said.

"To the Temple of Light," Impa said.

"How can you tell?" Peach asked.

"Just look," Zelda said, pointing towards the area on the ground they were heading for. There was a symbol on the ground that looked just like the Medallion of Light.

"Let's see if we can avoid that," Peach said, moving underneath the Empress. Before the Empress could grab her, Peach suddenly flew upward, slashing her head clean off. The disembodied head spewed white fire at Daisy, destroying her Arwing. Fortunately, it was just enough protection to keep her alive, though she was now plummeting. Ingrid pulled Daisy in and they rode the headless body down.

Peach quickly caught up to them and had everyone hold onto her as she slowed their descent. She could see the other Sages standing a safe distance away from the large emblem on the ground. Mario and Link were there with them.

When Empress Shine's body hit the ground, the impact and cloud of dust made it seem as if a bomb had gone off. The Sage of Wind quickly blew away the dust, making sure that they would be able to keep an eye on the fallen angel.

Once Peach and the others landed, she was surprised to find that there was golden grass here. It had looked like flat golden metal or rock far up above. She cautiously approached the body. To her surprise, the body reverted to a smaller, much different form. The blinking transformation was exactly the same as someone in the Mushroom World reverting to a lesser form after being damaged in a powered up state.

The new form looked nothing like the monster they had just fought. It was a little girl with cupid-sized wings, appearing to be no older than five years old, like a younger form of Empress Shine, though her skin was pink instead of the previous colors. She slowly awakened and shook off her dizziness. She stood and glared at Peach with icy blue eyes. Despite her small form, quite a bit of energy was emanating from her. It was so much that the ground began to rumble. The Triforce emblem on her forehead glowed intensely.

The rumbling stopped as the Empress felt something trickle down her forehead. She put her fingers to her forehead and held her hand in front of her to see what it was. It was white and glowed even in the radiance of the Golden Land. Her eyes widened in shock and she fell back as her breath quickened. She shook her hand in a desperate attempt to rid herself of the substance. Eventually, she began to scream in fright as she felt the trickle go down the bridge of her nose. "How?! This isn't possible! Why is it here?! Get it off!"

Most of the others stared at her curiously. Only Peach knew what was wrong. Navi and Geno, with his old doll body, flew out of the golden sky and landed near them. Navi looked on confusedly and asked, "What happened?"

"It looks like they won," Geno said.

"Not just yet," Peach said, walking toward the panicking Empress. She knelt down to her and held her down.

"Please, help me!" the Empress screamed. "Get it off! I'll do anything."

"Do you promise to give up?"

Geno added, "And allow yourself to be placed under arrest for various offenses, making Chapter 1, Articles One through Seven null and void?"

"Yes, fine, just help me!" she said, squirming.

Peach tore a piece of her dress off and cleaned the white liquid off of her head and hand. She then tied the cloth around the Empress's forehead "There, all better."

"What was that?" Mario asked.

"I've seen that reaction before," Zelda said. "Is it…?"

"Blood," Peach said, standing up. "Her blood."

"Thank you, Peach," Shine sighed, wiping away her tears.

"You lied, you know," Peach said, with a small smirk. "You aren't a seraph. You're a cherub."

Daisy couldn't help but laugh, despite her injuries. "You mean one of those sissy little naked babies in those old paintings?"

"That is exactly _why_ I lied about it," Shine said, blushing. "And for your information, we aren't weak. That fearsome form you saw earlier is our more commonly seen form. But this…body is a bit of a default once our power is weakened. That said, I still created the universe, or as you know it, the Mushroom World and its surrounding stars. It just took a long time."

"Shall we go?" Geno said, taking her hand.

"One thing first," she said, looking to Peach. "Peach, I'm sorry our first meeting was so unpleasant. I'm impressed that you managed to degrade me to…this. Regardless, Salvation in _my_ world that_ I_ created is still under_ my_ authority. By attacking me, you've doomed yourself to the fate Oni has set before you and Salvation will do nothing to change that. You only beat me because we were in the Golden Goddesses' side of the Sacred Realm."

"The blood thing, right?" Daisy asked.

"It doesn't matter what you say, Grandma," Peach said. "I beat you because I have friends and you don't. If you can't recognize the value of friends, then there's no hope for you."

To her surprise, Empress Shine smiled. It was hard to tell whether it was malevolent or good-natured, but it certainly was unexpected. "You have the power to do what you want. Revive those dirty creatures if you wish. The planet is yours…for now."

"Time to go," Geno said. "Peach, if you wouldn't mind, a Warp Star please. For all her power, you'd think she'd be able to teleport without the Star Rod."

"You'd think," Peach giggled, summoning a Warp Star. "When will I see you again?"

"The next time Star Road is threatened," Geno said. Then, he took an uncharacteristically big, tired sigh. "I'm getting too old for this." He hopped on the star with the little cherub and they warped into the sky. At the point where they exited, the Shine Sprites were left behind and flowed all around Peach.

"I've got one last thing to do," Peach said, raising the Star Rod. The Power Stars, Millennium Star, and the Star Spirits all flowed around her. She closed her eyes and focused. There was a flash of light. When it subsided, she was in her previously raggedy dress and her wings were gone. She looked just as she had before Empress Shine had been freed. All of the stars and the Star Rod had disappeared.

"What did you do?" Zelda asked.

"I set things right," Peach answered. "All of our world's beings that were killed by that genocidal attack have been restored and the Star Rod and Star Spirits have been returned to Star Haven."

"Okay," Daisy said. "Now, how are we supposed to get home?"

"Oops," Peach squeaked.

"I'll return you home," Ingrid said. "But first, some of the others have some business to finish."

"Hmm?" Peach and Daisy said. The large group of Sages was splitting up. The older Sages were standing aside. Mario quickly stepped back as several of the younger Sages encircled Link.

Peach, Daisy, and Mario all watched the gathering pattern. Darunia folded his arms and chuckled. Nabooru sat with her legs folded and a grin on her face. Rauru and Impa stood stoically behind them, though the latter had a smile creeping onto her face. Ingrid was a short distance from her, standing next to Salome and Rita, who both had cheerful faces on. Fado sat next to them, while Navi stood by her, looking on curiously.

Ruto, Saria, Malon, and Zelda stood around Link. Link looked at each of them, quickly recognizing Saria despite her more mature state. She looked incredibly nervous and would not meet his eyes. When he looked to Zelda, she also had a hard time meeting his eyes, though she did steal a few glances. Looking at Malon, he saw her blushing and smiling brightly, even winking at him. Finally he looked to Ruto as if asking for help. She had a more placid smile on.

"Okay, Link," she said calmly. "We've spent a long time waiting for this moment. Time to choose."

"Choose? Choose what?" he asked, his eyes darting around nervously. "Don't tell me you guys are…"

"One of us," she said. "You know all of us have special feelings for you. But only one of us can have you."

"Wait, wait, are you serious?" he asked.

"Very," she said. Her expression softened into a more casual appearance. "Now, we're not saying you have to pick one of us and stick with her for better or for worse. But we do think it's about time you stop ducking us and at least go out on a date with someone. Just pick whomever you think you like the most."

"I can't do that," he insisted. "Not with everyone here watching."

"You naughty boy," Ruto smiled. "You can't have all of us and not let anyone know. Just humor us, okay? Like I said, it's nothing too serious so no pressure. We just want to know who you're most interested in."

"Hey, Peach," Daisy whispered. "Can those stars of yours record?"

"Um, I guess so," she replied.

"Awesome," Daisy said.

_Notes: Congratulations. You've almost reached the end of this story. For all your patience, I've made a little treat for you. The next few chapters are all alternate endings! And if you hate that sort of thing and want a definitive one, the chapter immediately after this is the author's (and editor's) choice. I hope you like them._


	49. Goodwill to All

**Goodwill to All**

_"Okay, Link,"_ the hero thought to himself as everyone looked on. _"You've gotten yourself into it deep. But that's okay. You've gotten yourself out of tougher places than this. Beat Ganondorf twice, or one and a half times…stopped the moon from crashing into the planet of another dimension…and now you have to pick your true love, potentially alienating all of your friends. Great."_

"Chill out, Link!" Daisy called at him. "Just take it easy. Take a good look at each of them and think."

Link took several breaths and closed his eyes. He imagined that he was in the middle of a deathtrap in the Shadow Temple. Such a situation was infinitely preferable to his current one. Even if a bad decision didn't result in his immediate death, it might make him feel like dying. He frowned at that thought. Was it really possible to make a _bad_ decision when he liked all the choices? He knew the girls well enough. They wouldn't have confronted him like this if they hadn't considered the possibility of not being picked.

"That's a tough decision," Rita whispered.

"I think it's pretty easy," Fado smirked.

Link opened his eyes and looked at the girls around him once again. Ruto and Malon were still looking directly at him. Zelda was just as skittish as before. Saria, avoiding his eyes before, now just looked down. Her eyes were squarely on the ground and there wasn't even a hint of nervousness, only sadness. She didn't seem to have any hope.

"What's wrong, Saria?" he asked.

"Hm?" she said absently.

"You don't look anything like what I remember," he said. "What happened?"

"I did this to myself," she said morosely.

"Why?"

"I was jealous of the others," she said. "I wanted to be like them so you would notice me more." She looked up at him sadly. "I was afraid you would never come back to me. Even if you had been rescued, I feared you wouldn't have any reason to come back to the forest. You're a grown man, Link. You have no reason to live with children who will always be children. You have no reason to be with me."

"What? Saria, you're my best friend," he said. "No matter where I went, I'd always have a reason to visit you. Besides, you're no child. I'm not sure if you ever were, even before your…makeover. I know that I can always visit you in the forest."

"No," she said, stepping back and looking down again. "I'm leaving the forest. I can't go back. I don't belong there anymore. I made my body this way. I choked the forest. I tried to kill Zelda…several times. I don't have any business being amongst innocent children."

Link looked surprised and looked to the others.

"It wasn't her fault, Link," Zelda said. "It was a curse placed upon her and the other Sages."

"Yeah," Ruto said humbly. "Almost all of us tried to kill Zelda at one point or another."

"Then, why do you feel so guilty about it?" Link asked Saria.

"Because I enjoyed it," Saria said, turning away from him. "And I'm disgusted with myself."

"Well…where do you plan to go?" Link asked.

"I don't know," she said. "I suppose I'll just wander until I can find peace with myself. At least now that I'm mortal, I know that I'll die eventually…and my pain will end."

"Wandering, huh?" he said, folding his arms. "You'll need someone to look out for you and keep you company. And I don't see your fairy around, so…"

"Link, don't," Saria said, holding back tears. "I don't deserve your affection. I don't even know how I feel about you. Our relationship is so strange, I…"

"I love you," he interrupted, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Do you love me?"

She turned around, saying, "Of course I do, but…"

He put a finger to her lips and smiled. "That's all that matters. We can figure out what kind of love it is later."

"Despite everything I've said and all the things I've done," she whimpered, "you still want to be with me?"

"Yep," he said, cautiously looking at the others. "Is…that okay?"

Ruto shrugged with a smile, "Sounds good to me."

Malon was crying tears of joy. "Congratulations, you two!" She reached out and hugged the two of them. Then, she backed away and began to clap.

"I wish you well," Zelda said amicably, now able to look him in the eye fully. "You're both always welcome to visit."

"Awesome," Daisy said to Peach. "Did you get all that?"

"That was sweet, wasn't it?"

"Where's your star? You did record it, right?"

"Oops."

"Blondes," Daisy muttered. She walked over to the rest of the crowd to congratulate Link and Saria.

"Hmph," Mario grunted.

"Pardon me," Ingrid said, approaching Peach and Mario. "There are two more people who need to be retrieved from this place. Come with me." They held onto her and teleported away.

* * *

Peach waited on a golden grassy hill, enjoying the cool breeze and generous sunlight. Ingrid and Mario waited a few yards away amongst some fallen ruins and rubble.

"Hello, Peach," she heard a voice say. She turned and saw Sheik, standing there as if he had been there the whole time. She hugged him tightly.

"I'm glad you're okay now," she said.

"I'm glad that you managed to save the world," he said. "Do you remember what you said you'd do after you saved the world?"

She blushed and looked back to where Ingrid and Mario were. She saw Mario grow tense as Bowser stomped onto the scene. Before they could fight, Ingrid floored them both with a flick of her wrist and held them in place as they continued to reach for one another.

"I remember," Peach smiled, looking back to Sheik. He didn't show a hint of nervousness, looking his calmest. "I don't think I'm ready for marriage. Not just yet anyway."

"I understand," he nodded, glancing in Ingrid's direction. "I'm not sure I would fit in your world anyway. It certainly would take a few more years to adjust."

"Where will you go?" Peach asked. "I heard there was a Sheikah village beyond Death Mountain."

"I'm definitely not going there," he said. "Those people are competent, but they've lost much of their heritage. No, I have someone waiting for me in the afterlife."

"Your first crush?" Peach asked. "She must be awfully jealous by now."

"That's okay," he chuckled. "I have an eternity to make it up to her. I'll see you later, Peach. I just hope it's _much_ later."

"So do I," she said, as he walked over to Ingrid. "Could you tell Bowser that I want to talk to him?"

When he got to Ingrid he talked to her. She released Bowser and instructed him to go to Peach. He looked confused at first, but went to Peach.

"What's up?" he asked, grinning.

"Hey, you," she smiled.

He was taken aback by her expression. She was usually unpleasant to him, but this time, she was almost sweet. "So…I heard you saved the world. At least it wasn't Mario."

"Yeah, it's a good feeling," she said. "I'm glad you managed to get your senses back. I really missed you."

"You did? Huh…I thought you were just saying that so that devil would take it easy on you."

"Of course not," she said, taking his hand. "You may not be my favorite person in the world, but you're still important to me. Even though you obsessively kidnap me, crash all of our parties, ruin all the sporting events, endlessly try to take over my kingdom, attempt various forms of homocide on Mario, constantly…"

"I get the point," he grumbled.

"Sorry. Despite all of that, you always hold a special place in my heart. It's a deep, conflicted, and mostly antagonistic place, but it's still in my heart. I'm glad you're back Bowser. Life just wouldn't be the same without you."

"Well, thanks, Peach," he said bashfully. "I never knew you appreciated me so much. Now, how about a kiss between friends?"

"How about you sign these divorce papers?" Peach said, holding them in front of him.

"Divorce? But don't you even want to give me a chance?" he said. "You know I would treat you better than I have been lately. I practically worship the ground you stand on. You're like an angel."

"You have no idea…" Peach mumbled under her breath.

"Besides, I didn't even kiss you after the ceremony."

"There's a lot of other things I'm glad you didn't do after the ceremony," she said. "Now, please sign here, here, and initials here."

"Just give me a gist of the terms," he said, folding his arms. "Maybe then I'll sign."

"Basically, we leave as we came. You keep what you had before this mess, and I keep what I had before this mess."

"Hey, what about fifty-fifty?" he complained.

"You're actually wealthier than me, so…"

"Right, never mind. Still, the kids are going to be awfully disappointed, especially Jr. I don't think I should sign this. And I don't think there's anything you can do about it. Ha ha!"

She cupped his hand in-between her hands and said with large round eyes, "Pretty please, Bowsy-wowsy?"

"All right, fine!" he growled, snatching the papers away. She took a pen out of her hair and gave it to him. He quickly scribbled his signatures and initials. "There, you destroyed our marriage! You know the kids will only blame themselves! I hope you're happy!"

"I am," she smirked, giving him a peck on the cheek.

He was dumbstruck and felt the spot on his cheek where her lips had touched. He pumped his fists and jumped for joy. "Yeah! It's about time I got a kiss!"

"Oh, and would you mind keeping a secret?" she asked, tucking the papers away.

"Heck yeah, I mind! I'm telling _everyone_ about this!"

"No, I mean the _other_ thing," she said cryptically. "You know…the thing that you do that I like, but no one needs to know about it."

He thought for a moment. "Sending letter-bombs to Sony?"

"Eh…besides that…" When he continued to give her a confused look, she whispered, "The rope and chain thing you do whenever you kidnap me…you know…tying me up."

"Oh, you mean bondage!" he said loudly.

She clamped her hands over his mouth, as the others glanced at them. She smiled nervously with a blush and said, "Not so loud. Yes that thing."

"You like that stuff?" Bowser mumbled through her hands, giving her a strange look. "I was just pulling your leg about that. I only tie you up to keep you from escaping."

Her face flushed even more. "You mean you were just joking?"

He nodded.

"Well, that certainly was funny!" she laughed loudly. "Bowser, always such a prankster. Thinking I have such a weird fetish like that."

"You mean you don't?" he asked, confused. "But you just said…"

"Ha, ha, ha!" she laughed even louder to drown out his voice.

"Fine," he shrugged. "I guess the next time I kidnap you, I'll just put you in a cell and forget about tying you down."

She whispered, "I didn't say not to do it anymore. Just don't tell anyone or so help me, I'll tell everyone that you sleep with a teddy bear and post all your love letters in the newspaper…"

"You don't need to do that," he insisted. "We're cool. I won't say anything if you don't."

"Good," she said, shaking his hand. "Now, let's get out of here."

* * *

_Dear Peach,_

_Things have returned to normal in Hyrule over the course of these past three months. I can never properly express the gratitude I have for your actions. You not only revived the fallen in your world, but my world as well. I had feared I would never see my father again, but he was here upon our return. Even Mother was pleased and they have resumed their place as King and Queen of Hyrule. She's simply glowing now that he is back._

_The others are doing well. Nabooru is slowly opening the Gerudos up to diplomacy with the rest of Hyrule. Impa is, of course, happy to have her sister back. Darunia is overjoyed to have his son back. Ruto is equally grateful to have her family back. We've actually become closer friends than ever. I even visit her occasionally. Fado and Salome have decided to live on Lon Lon Ranch, seeing as it is a quiet, simple place. Fado is due in only a month or so and Mother Malon is rather enthusiastic to be a midwife. Rauru is the only one I'm worried about. Since your grandmother took the Triforce with her, he is worried that Hyrule will fall into decline. Personally, I see the Triforce's absence as a blessing. No longer is there a danger of tyrants like Ganon attempting to take such dangerous power. I suppose she knew that. For that, at least, I thank her._

_Link and Saria traveled about the country for a month or so, Link acting as a tour guide of sorts. The last I heard of them, they were hiking beyond Death Mountain. To be honest, I sorely miss them both, but I wish them well. Navi left not long after you did. She gave a tearful goodbye to Link and explained her duties as a Great Fairy in training. Though it is unlikely we will ever see her again, I hope she returns. Regardless, we all have someone to keep us company. That reminds me, I almost forgot to tell you about Malon. In light of Link's absence for an indefinite amount of time, as well as the extra help Talon now has on the farm, Malon and I have decided to live together in the castle. At first I feared she would become easily bored in the dull setting of royal life, but she has kept herself occupied with the castle's livestock. It seems you can take Malon out of the ranch, but you can't take the ranch out of Malon. Such is her charm And before you ask, yes, I lied to you about our relationship. I hope you aren't too offended, but I'm sure you can understand._

_I hope you and all your friends and family are doing at least as well. I hope being an angel hasn't changed things for you too much. Please write back to me at your convenience. I do hope our _messengers _are able to translate and deliver it properly._

_Sincerely Yours,_

_Princess Zelda Hyrule_

After reading over the letter, Peach wrote a reply letter at her desk in her room. She smiled and looked up to the messenger. Drow stood next to her, waiting patiently with a cheerful smile. Though she had a fuller figure, she had ceased to be pregnant some time ago.

"Here you go," Peach said, handing her the letter. "Thank you for your help. How are things?"

"Just fine, thanks," Drow nodded. "Muffin is at home with the children and your mother is giving us more than enough help. It's not such a bad place after all. Wanda seems to especially appreciate the company."

"That's nice to hear," Peach said. "What are their names? The children, I mean."

"Hilda and Berry."

"What do they look like?"

"The cutest girls you'd ever see. Berry has your face and Zelda's ears. Hilda didn't inherit the Hylian ears, but you'd think she was a baby Zelda."

"Wonderful," Peach said. "Send everyone my best wishes."

* * *

_Dear Zelda,_

_I am happy that everything is going so well. Things are going well over here as well. Mario and Luigi are back home, doing what they do. Bowser, true to his nature, kidnapped me twice since I last saw you, though both were more traditional and almost a relief. Daisy isn't doing so good. She's healthy and safe, but Nintendo is taking up one of the largest lawsuits I've ever heard of. It's likely Sarasaland won't be able to support a very large military anymore. At least she got Luigi to go steady with her, unlike a certain red-capped plumber. Back on the subject of lawsuits, Nintendo and I settled out of court over my little piece of contraband. I get to keep it, but I have to turn over all my profits to them. And the Toads have more or less just dropped the whole subject._

_All the damage done to the world has been more or less fixed. The Yoshies have been restored. All the mutants have been reverted back into their original forms. Even the Boos and other undead are back. When I restored them, I also turned myself back into my original self. Being an angel was too strange. Everything was so clear and I could sense everyone on the whole planet. That's not the kind of feeling I want to live with. I'm happy just taking care of a kingdom._

_It's hard to believe it's almost been a full year since the beginning. I hope to remain in contact with you through letters. I might even visit you when Morel and Drow have some free time. Right now, though, I'm just going to take an official vacation. I'll probably just travel around a bit. I don't think I need to go too far. When I get back, I plan to host a tennis tournament and a golf tournament. There's also a good chance we'll be having some go-kart grand prix. Before all that though, I need to stop by Neon Heights. Between you and me, I've taken up another voice acting job for Halo 2. I know; I'm asking for trouble. But if it means I get a free copy of the sequel, so be it. I can always cover it up by saying that someone dropped it off with me in Rogueport, the last stop on my vacation. I think I'm starting to ramble now, so I'll let you go. Stay in touch._

_Princess to Princess,_

_Princess Peach Toadstool_

_P.S. I wish you and Malon the best._

"Things seem to be going well for them," Zelda said, as Malon rested her chin on her shoulder, reading as well. Zelda was sitting at her desk, while Malon stood behind her. "Do you think she'll ever get up the nerve to court Mario?"

"Eventually," Malon said. "It took us a while to get things going too, after all."

"Indeed."

"Do you think Link and Saria are alright?"

"I'm sure of it," Zelda said, smiling. "Out of all of us, Saria needs him the most. Likewise, she knows Link the best. They're practically made for one another."

* * *

Link and Saria sat in the middle of the Sheikah Village on the edge of Calatia. Link had just managed to make a decent fire for the night, while Saria sat back on the blankets they had brought. 

"That should do it," Saria said as he finished the circle of rocks around the fire. "So, where are we going tomorrow?"

"I figured I would show you a whole new race deeper in Calatia," Link said, putting another blanket over her and joining her under it. "They look kind of like Peach and the Gerudos. You know, humans with flat ears."

"Sounds interesting," she said, snuggling up against him. "Goodnight, Link,"

"Goodnight, Saria," he said, wrapping his arms around her.


	50. Too Good to Be True

**Too Good to Be True**

_"Okay, Link,"_ Link thought to himself. _"What are your options? First we have childhood best friend who's somewhere between a mother, a sister, and a…girlfriend of all things. Then, we have the Princess of Hyrule, ally in battle against Ganon, and likely to make me…the King of Hyrule. Then, there's Malon, simple farm girl and animal lover; always talking to animals… Finally, there's the Zora Princess, parallel with Zelda, but got me into a wedding proposal. Wedding proposal…"_

Link thought and remembered a day a little over a year ago when he had had a special talk with Ruto.

* * *

It had been a cloudy day at Lake Hylia. Ruto had convinced Link to come there for privacy, away from most of the other Zoras. They had spent most of the afternoon talking, though Link noticed she was mostly asking about his interests. Eventually, they moved to the water's edge, closest to Hyrule Field. Link lay on his back, staring into the sky. Ruto sat a respectable distance away.

As it began to drizzle, she finally asked, "Link, what do you think about me?"

"What do you mean?" he asked, looking at her.

"You know," she said, moving closer to him and smiling. "Do you like me?"

He had a stoic face on, as he often did back in those days, and looked back into the sky. "Of course I like you. If I didn't, I would've avoided you like a Redead."

"Of course I know you like me," she said. She got closer to his face and said, "But do you _like_ me?"

"You know," he said unflinchingly, "I've been getting the same kind of feeling from the others. You're the first to come out and ask it though."

"Well?" she asked, keeping a smile on.

She saw a chink in his stony countenance and noticed the beginnings of a frown curling into the corner of his mouth. "…I don't know. I haven't really thought about it…especially since the others are…"

Her smile faded and she sat up.

"I'm sorry," he said. "But you know how…"

"Don't worry about it," she said, looking up into the sky as the rain increased. "I've had something that I've needed to get off my chest for a while now."

He looked toward her inquisitively.

"Do you remember all those years ago when I gave you the Zora Sapphire?"

"Oh…yeah," he said, sitting up. "I…"

"You don't have to worry about it," Ruto said, looking at the ground. She had forced a gentle smile onto her face, letting the rain mask her tears. "You were too young to understand. We both were. Zelda already had it returned to me anyway."

"Oh… That's…good…I guess," he said unsurely.

"Maybe we should be going now," she said, getting up. "The rain feels good to me, but I hear Hylians get sick when they get caught in it." When she noticed that Link wasn't following her into the water, she added, "Link?"

"I actually came through this way," he said, motioning toward Hyrule Field. "I just let Epona do her own thing for a while. I better go before she gets too wet. Malon'll have a fit if she gets sick." With that, he ran toward Hyrule Field, taking out his ocarina as he went.

* * *

Link thought back on the memory. _"It didn't seem like I was being a jerk at the time…"_ He looked to Ruto and saw that she still had on that gentle smile and wide eyes. It was the same expression she had on her face that rainy day.

"Ruto," he said.

She acted as if she had not heard her name. "Something wrong?" she asked.

"No," he said. "I'm just picking you. That's all."

"Hmph," she nearly laughed, not taking him seriously. "That's a good one. So, who's your _real_ choice? Seriously."

"You," he repeated.

"Oh, come on," she said, folding her arms. "Joking around isn't going to make this easier for anyone."

"I think he's serious," Zelda said.

"He's picking you, Ruto," Malon said.

"No he's not," she said slightly more assertively. "He's just being a goof. It's not very funny, either."

"Ruto, I made my choice and it's you."

"There's no way you could pick _me_ that fast," she said, still managing to hold a smile on her face.

"If you don't want him," Nabooru joked, "I'll take him."

Saria looked up at Ruto and could see right through her charade. She knew that Ruto was just hiding behind that smile, and she suspected the others could see through it as well. "I will take him as well," she said, winking at Zelda.

"Oh, me too," Zelda said.

"Count me in," Malon said.

"Sorry," Link said to the rest. "But I made my choice. Well, Ruto, what do you say?"

She was becoming increasingly irritated and forced herself to laugh, though the mask was deteriorating. "Link, you jerk. Trying to mess with my feelings… I told you, we aren't betrothed anymore. Just forget about the silly promise," she said dismissively, closing her eyes to prevent any tears from leaking out.

"Fine, I'll forget about it," he shrugged. "But I still want to give us a chance."

She sighed and opened her eyes. "But why? Aren't we too different? I'm an entirely different species _and_ a princess."

"I want to repay you," he said. "I realize that, out of all of my…erm…admirers, I've kind of stepped on you the most. With the others, I at least thought about it. But when you were the only one brave enough to come out and ask me about it, I just squashed it then and there. The truth is, you've had equal standing right along with them. I never wrote you off."

She seemed to be speechless for a moment, but quickly put her smile back on and turned away. "Link, this is silly. This seems more like pity than anything else."

"You're right," he said. "It does seem like pity." He casually walked up to her and kissed her on the cheek. "How's that?"

Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were running with tears. Still attempting to hold back, she said in a choked voice, "Just pick someone else."

"I don't want anyone else," he said, taking her hand and forcing her to face him. "I want you."

She trembled under his stare with flushed cheeks. Her breath quickened and she fainted into his arms.

"Aw," Peach cooed, putting an arm around Mario's shoulder. "How romantic…"

"Did you get all that?" Daisy asked. "Where's the star?"

"Um…"

"Excuse me," Ingrid said. "Peach, there is someone you need to speak to. It would probably be best if Mario came along too."

"Okay," Mario said, holding onto her. "Let'sa go."

* * *

Peach waited on a golden grassy hill, enjoying the warm wind and generous sunlight. Ingrid and Mario waited a few yards away amongst some fallen ruins and rubble.

"Hello, Peach," she heard a voice say. She turned and saw Sheik, standing there with the sun behind him. She walked to him and gave him a light hug.

"I'm glad you're okay now," she said.

"I'm glad that you managed to save the world," he said. "Do you remember what you said you'd tell me after you saved the world?"

Peach looked back to Ingrid and Mario. Mario looked directly back toward her and could not help giving her a dopey smile with hearts in his eyes. She found herself blushing and smiled. "I remember."

"Well?"

She looked back to Sheik with a sad smile. "I'm sorry. I think it's about time I tell him how I feel…face-to-face. Will you be okay?"

"Just fine," he said. "I suspected you would say no. I have someone waiting for me on the other side anyway."

"Won't she be jealous?" Peach asked jokingly.

"If she is, I have plenty of time to make it up," he said.

"Um, excuse me," she said, quickly going down the hill to Mario.

"Good luck," he said.

"Mario," Peach said, standing nervously in front of him. "I think we need to talk."

"Hm?" he tilted his head curiously. "What is it?"

"We've known each other for a long time now, right?"

"Yeah."

"When you went missing, I thought I had lost you forever. I…regretted never having told you certain things. I don't know why, but it…our feelings seem obvious to everyone except us. Mario…how do you feel about me? You never really talk about your feelings much."

Mario's eyes widened in surprise at the question and he laughed. "Why-a Peach, you don't-a know? Then, let-a Mario explain his-a true feelings to you. Ah, my sweet-a princess, you are the love of my life. You'sa like-a da marinara sauce-a on a fine plate of spaghetti, sweet and-a zesty. If dat Bowser had-a never whisked you away from you's-a kingdom, I would-a never met you, _mio amore_."

"Oh…" Peach blushed deeply, not expecting him to have said so much at once. "Well…I'm flattered. More than flattered actually." A small giggle escaped her lips, though she nervously stifled it. "Um, Mario. Do you think we should…maybe…go on dates from now on?"

"Yeah! Ha ha ha!" Mario leapt for joy.

"Incoming," Ingrid warned quietly. Bowser quietly stomped onto the scene and was glad to see Peach. Mario immediately stood in front of Peach to guard her.

"Hold on, Mario," she said, gently moving him aside. "I have some business to discuss with him." Then, she whispered, "Namely, a divorce."

* * *

Three months later…

Zelda sat in her courtyard, quietly reading a book as the reconstruction of the spire continued on. There was no escape from the sounds of men hard at work echoing in throughout the castle. She resolved that it was better than being cooped up in her room. At least this way, she could enjoy the sun and the lively atmosphere.

A shadow abruptly cast itself over her reading. She looked up and saw Malon smiling down on her. She was lugging a case of milk bottles. The farm girl asked, "Is that a good book? You're not the type to let someone sneak up on you like this."

"It is part of my studies," Zelda said. "It's been so noisy around here that I didn't notice you. I've had to put in a lot of effort to catch up in my studies. How goes the ranch?"

"Great, actually," Malon said, setting the case down. She sat down and took out two bottles of milk, handing one to Zelda. "Mother's been planting a few small gardens here and there, not to mention getting some interesting customers for her herbs. Salome's helping us sort out our finances really well. I always thought upper-class people were just lazy no-nothing snobs who paid others to do everything for them… No offense, Zel. Dad and Ingo are working hard to make sure all the animals are up to par."

"And you?" Zelda said after sipping from her bottle.

"I'm doing fine," Malon said reservedly.

"But?" Zelda said knowingly.

"Well," Malon said, looking down at her bottle, "I'm going to miss Link. He moved in with Ruto a few weeks ago. It looks like they're official."

"You know what that means," Zelda sighed with a tired smile.

"We've got to find another cute guy," Malon said.

"It's such a bother," Zelda said.

"You're lucky. At least you get to have princes asking for your hand."

"They just do it for political favor. Besides, there are very few men as innocently charming as Link. I suspect all of my suitors will just be philanderers."

"They can't all be bad," Malon said. "Besides, you don't _have_ to marry royalty. Your father didn't."

"Yes, but outsiders still call my mother a whore behind her back," Zelda frowned. "They're just lucky we have freedom of speech in this country. Saying such things about a queen…"

"Well, outsiders still think my mother is a drug peddler. We just have to deal with it. I'm sure there's a dating service in town somewhere. If you sneak out of the castle one of these days, maybe you can check one out."

"If Impa _lets_ me," Zelda said, finishing her milk. "She still shadows me, even as we speak. And yet, I hear Ruto gets to go wherever she wants."

"Speaking of wandering, have you heard from Saria at all?"

"She's been wandering around Hyrule quite a bit. Last week, she sent me a letter from Gerudo Valley. She's helping the Gerudo people with their agriculture."

"Have you heard from Peach?"

"She sends me letters, though I rather dislike the messengers," Zelda said.

"The doppelgangers?"

"They know they aren't welcome here, but I allow them to relay our messages. Apparently, they've taken up residence with the Wanderer. Better there than here."

"Agreed," Malon nodded, finishing her milk with a final swig. "Anyway, I've got to get back to work. And in case I don't see you next week, happy birthday!"

"Thank you," Zelda smiled graciously.

Once Malon had left the courtyard, Impa walked in, greeting her along the way. Once she reached Zelda, she held out an envelope. "Our _friends_ dropped this off. It seems to be from Peach."

"Good. I've been expecting a letter from her. Let's see what it says," Zelda said, taking the envelope.

* * *

Peach led Mario, Daisy, and Luigi through the dark, but small cavern. Large, glowing crystals lit the blue walls of the familiar cave. Luigi was trembling with fright, holding Daisy's hand as she strolled through uneasily.

"I don't like-a this place," Luigi shuddered. "It's-a giving me the creeps."

"Are we there yet, Peach?" she asked. "Luigi's like five seconds away from losing it."

"There's the entrance," Peach said, pointing to a hatch in the ground. "Mario, would you mind opening that?"

"Sure thing," he said. Once it was open, he said, "Ladies first."

"Thank you," Peach said, hopping in.

"I don't know about this," Luigi said, holding Daisy's hand tightly.

"Don't be such a baby," Daisy said, pulling him in. Mario soon followed.

All but Peach were surprised to find hardwood flooring and a hall leading to several different rooms. She confidently led them into the room on the left. There was a large couch, a large television, and various pictures of Peach on the walls. "Make yourselves comfortable," she said. She walked over to the door on the far end of the room and went in.

Daisy clicked on the television. "How _does_ this work, especially in a place like this?"

"It's a trade secret," Wanda said, stepping out of her mourning room with Peach. All eyes turned to her, and everyone instantly saw the resemblance between her and Peach. "Is anyone hungry?"

After moving to the dining room table, which already had food prepared and on the table, Wanda asked, "So, Mario, have you and my daughter gotten married yet?"

Mario nearly choked on his pasta. "Mama-mia!"

"Um," Peach stammered, "we've decided to hold off on marriage…indefinitely."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Wanda said.

"Don't be," Peach said. "We love each other very much, but…there are a few too many complications. I don't really want to load him down with royal duties. We have enough difficulty having privacy as it is."

"Don't forget Bowser," Daisy smirked.

Wanda inquired, "Wouldn't Bowser be discouraged from kidnapping you if you were married to Mario, though?"

"That's just it," Peach said. "Bowser was utterly crushed when I told him I was going to marry Mario. I had to promise him that I wouldn't just to get him to stop sulking so much. It's no big deal, really. Mario and I still had a private unofficial ceremony. You know, nothing in the records."

"But you do live with each other, correct?" Wanda asked.

"Of course," Peach said. "Even though we didn't have a formal marriage, he's still, for all intents and purposes, my husband. Isn't that right, Mario?"

"That's-a right," he said pecking her on the cheek.

She giggled in response, "It's nice to be on the receiving end of those now and then."

"And how about you two?" Wanda asked, turning to the other couple.

"Who? Us?" Luigi asked, looking around as his face turned red. "Well, gee…"

"Uh…" Daisy tried to say, twiddling her fingers. "We… We're still dating. I mean, he's my big green number one guy…and I'm his…Daisy Bell. Sing the song, Luigi."

"I don't know," Luigi said bashfully.

"Pretty please," she cooed.

"Don't be so shy, Luigi," Wanda said. "You know the chorus." She sang:

_Daisy Daisy_

_Give me your answer do!_

_I'm half crazy,_

_All for the love of you!_

_It won't be a stylish marriage,_

_I can't afford a carriage._

_But you'll look sweet upon the seat_

_Of a bicycle made for two._

Both Luigi and Daisy's faces were burning up and they were speechless.

"I suppose you'll be saving that for your proposal, eh Luigi?" Wanda teased.

"Leeet's not rush things," Daisy said, laughing nervously. "We're not even to first base yet."

"What's first base again?" Peach asked.

"Say," Daisy interrupted. "Peach told me the clones were staying here with you. Where are they?"

"They decided to take the kids out," Wanda said. "They'll be back in a few hours. Anyway, does anyone have any plans until Bowser attempts another kidnapping."

"Yeah, actually," Daisy said. "Luigi and I will be setting up a few travel plans for our next big Mario Party. Mario usually sets the whole thing up, but…"

"But?"

"We're going on a late honeymoon vacation," Peach said. "I was thinking some place small and classy like Poshley Heights."

"You mean near Rogueport?" Wanda said somewhat uneasily.

"As a matter of fact, we'd have to ride a boat to Rogueport and a train from there to Poshley Heights."

"Are you sure that's safe?"

"It's just a name. Besides, I have my Mario with me. The worst that will happen is Bowser kidnaps me. And we know how that always turns out. Why? Something else wrong?"

_"It is inevitable,"_ Oni's voice echoed in Wanda's thoughts.

_"Don't worry, dear,"_ she heard Empress Shine's voice say. _"I've made sure that Salvation will come to this world. Just a few months more…"_

"Mommy?" Peach repeated.

"Hm?" Wanda snapped out of her thoughts. "No. It's nothing."

* * *

Link sat on the log in the fishing pond, letting his fishing rod and his bare feet dangle into the cool water. He wore the Zora Tunic and his boots lay at the shore. When he felt a tug, he pulled and began to reel the line in. After a great deal of effort, he pulled out a bass the size of a puny goldfish. After removing it from the hook, he disappointedly tossed it back into the pond. Ruto suddenly surfaced with a particularly large bass in her teeth.

"Got one," she said, holding it out for him. The poor creature's blood was running down her chin.

"Did you kill it?" Link asked, grimacing.

"Yeah, so?" she said, pulling herself onto the log.

"We're not allowed to keep the fish, you know," he said. "The pond owner is gonna' be steamed. It'd probably be best if he didn't see that.

"Oh," Ruto said, dropping the fish back into the water. "Want me to eat it underwater?"

"Nah," Link said, wrapping one arm around her waist. "We'll just explain to him later."

"Later?" Ruto asked as he dropped the rod.

"Later," he smiled, wiping the blood off of her face.

As he began to kiss her neck gently, she giggled nervously. "Link…what if the pond owner sees us?"

"Good point," he said, stopping promptly and picking up the rod.

"I didn't say _stop_," she smiled. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him underwater with her.

A few minutes later, both of them came out of the water giggling and walked toward the exit. Once they were back in Lake Hylia, they floated on their backs side-by-side, holding hands.

"Ruto," he said.

"Hm?"

"I'm really glad I picked you. I hope I can make you happy for the rest of your life."

"Thank you, Link," she said. "I hope Zora life isn't too strange for you."

"Actually," he said, rolling so that he was upright, "I have been thinking about something for a while now."

"What is it?" she asked, sitting up.

"In all the times we've been together recently, I still haven't figured out some things about you," he said uneasily.

"Am I doing something wrong?" she asked.

"No nothing like that," Link said. "I mean…I don't know how Zoras…do certain things. By certain things, I mean…things that lovers do. Things that sometimes lead to…children."

"Oh," she blushed. "You mean mating…"

"I wouldn't put it quite like that, but…yeah. Not that I want to rush things…"

"No, it's fine," Ruto said. "I've actually been waiting for you to initiate things, but now I see you just don't know how."

"I know how for Hylians…not that I have any previous experience. I just go with what I read in the books."

"I understand," Ruto said, wrapping her arms around his neck. "It's basically the same. Zoras just need a little more stimulation. Want to try?"

"I don't know. This doesn't violate any Zora traditions or anything does it?"

"Well let's see," she said, pretending to think hard. "Yeah, I think interspecies premarital sex is frowned upon in Zoran society."

"Oh…"

Then, she gave a mischievous smile. "All the more fun in doing it. But it's just a little too easy for someone to see us here, even underwater. Know any other places with a decent body of water?"

* * *

Link and Ruto strolled into Hyrule Castle Town. Ruto was fully clothed in a blue dress, brown shoes, and an oversized, wide-brimmed purple hat to disguise her as a Hylian. Link led her into a particularly luxurious hotel.

"Hello," the clerk said, looking upon his odd state of dress. "Hey, kid, out of the way. Can't you see I have a customer? Hello, Miss. You look a little ill. Perhaps a stay in our facilities will help."

"Actually, we're together," she said, wrapping her arm around him. "Don't worry, he's not a poor as he looks."

"Thanks," Link said dryly. "Anyway, just give us the room with the biggest tub."

"And how will we be paying for our stay?" the clerk asked.

Link dropped two golden Rupees onto the desk. "How's that?"

"Excellent," the clerk said, tossing him the key to their room.

* * *

As Link and Ruto lay in each other's arms in the Jacuzzi-sized tub, they noticed the candles beginning to flicker out. Link nudged her, "The light's are giving out. Ready for bed?"

"I guess so," she said sleepily. "But leave the tub full. If I start choking in my sleep…"

"I know, I know," he said, lifting her out of the tub. "But I know for a fact Zoras can do just fine sleeping out of the water. I've done it myself a few times."

"Link," she said, as he set her down on the bed. "Thanks for today. Everything was wonderful. I hope it was for you, too."

"It definitely was," he said, kissing her forehead. "I hope all our days can be just as great as this. Sweet dreams, Princess."


	51. Conflict of Interest

**Conflict of Interest**

While Link stood in thought, Zelda waited anxiously with the rest of the girls. She could only bring herself to sneak peeks at him before averting her eyes. She envied Malon and Ruto's ability to look him in the face. Her eyes lingered on Malon for a moment, as she remembered a conversation they had had long ago.

* * *

It had been no more than a year before Ganondorf's takeover of Hyrule with Bowser's help and only shortly after Link had returned from his failed search for Navi. Malon had become a well-known face on the castle grounds and frequently visited Zelda. Despite this, only Impa knew that they were more than friends.

It was another typical day for the two in Zelda's courtyard. They were lying flat on their backs, watching the fluffy white clouds drift lazily by. They had been quiet for an unusually long time. Malon finally broke the silence.

"You know Link is back, right?"

"I know," Zelda replied blankly.

There was another long moment of silence.

"Zelda," Malon said. "You know how I feel about you."

"I know," Zelda replied in the same tone.

Malon took a long sigh. "Do you think Link would understand?"

Zelda hesitated to answer. "I think we should…"

"Tell him?" Malon asked.

"…break up," Zelda finished with a frown.

"Oh…" Malon said in disappointment. "Have I done something wrong?"

"No, no!" Zelda said, sitting up. She took her hand as Malon sat up. "Malon, I'm honored to have been with you. I love you with all my heart. It's just that…I don't think we can hide this forever. If anyone found out…"

"We would only be ridiculed," Malon said, holding back a tear. "That's all. You're the Princess. Even if the whole kingdom found out, everyone would just talk."

"It's not that simple," Zelda said, embracing her. "Not everyone is as nice as you. There are some people out there who would do more than just talk. And with you living so far away from town, I don't want to endanger you. Trust me, love. It's for the best."

* * *

Zelda remembered how much Malon had cried into her shoulder that day. Looking at her now, there was no trace of such heartache, at least until Malon glanced at her. Her smile lessened slightly. They both knew that circumstances had changed a bit. It went back to a small promise they had made.

* * *

It had happened when Zelda and Malon were spending the night together at Daisy's Li Wei palace. Both had lingering thoughts on their minds, but it was Zelda who spoke up.

"Malon, where do we stand with one another?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" Malon nearly giggled. "Don't tell me you're starting to believe your own little fibs to everyone. I love you. You love me. We're together. What more needs to be said?"

"I thought we had agreed to break up?"

"We did…" Malon said hesitantly. "And I think I know the real reason why now…"

"What are you implying? You think I lied to you?"

"Of course not. After having to play waitress to the rogues of Hyrule for that long, I know full well how much scum there is in the world. You were right. It wasn't safe, _but_ that's not the only reason you had. You wanted to be with Link."

"Malon…" Zelda frowned.

"Please don't patronize me," Malon said in a more serious tone. "You've had feelings for Link about as long as I have. You lied to my face about it, remember?"

"I'm sorry," Zelda said. "I just…I didn't want to compete with you. It makes so much more sense for him to be with you. Besides, I didn't want you feeling compelled to give up just because I'm a princess."

Malon smiled and began to giggle. Her giggling soon turned into laughter. "This is a funny little thing we've gotten ourselves into, isn't it? Two women in love with one another, but both in love with the same man."

"I suppose," Zelda said, cracking a smile. "But…what should we do? We can't both have him…can we?"

"Link doesn't seem like the type," Malon said. "But I think I have an idea. It's a harsh one, but it's something."

"Tell me."

"When Link has to pick one of his admirers, we'll both be among them," Malon said, draping an arm across her. "Maybe one of us will be chosen?"

"And if we aren't?"

"Then, we'll stay together."

"Malon, we've been over this," Zelda said. "It's not a secret we can keep."

"Why not? I can move in with you. I've heard members of the court can occasionally have friends live with them. I can be your consort."

"Malon that would give everything away."

"It's just a play on words," Malon smiled. "You can make me…Consort of the Royal Family. You know, a trusted friend or associate."

"You clever little minx," Zelda giggled, pulling her into an embrace. "You're no simple farm girl."

"There's just one thing," Malon said seriously. "If Link _does_ pick one of us…"

"I'm willing to take the risk if you are," Zelda said.

"Deal," Malon said, sealing the promise with a kiss.

* * *

"Zelda?" Saria said. "Hello?"

"Hm?" Zelda returned from her thoughts.

"Are you okay?" Saria asked worriedly. "You kind of zoned out."

"Oh. Who did Link…?" Zelda stopped mid-sentence as she saw Malon in Link's arms. Her lips curled into a grimace as she felt a pang in her chest. She took a deep breath to keep her eyes dry and put a smile on.

Link and Malon, each with an arm around the other's waist, approached. Link spoke, "No hard feelings, I hope."

"Of course not," Zelda smiled pleasantly. "I'm so happy for the both of you. My best friend and the Hero of Time…you'll make such a wonderful couple."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Malon asked, seeing right through her.

"Of course!" Zelda said, continuing her feigned happiness. "Don't mind me."

"Okay…" Malon said unconvincingly as she and Link walked away to talk to the others.

Zelda stood off to the side as everyone else talked. Soon, they were ready to leave.

"Hey, Zelda," Daisy said. "Party at the ranch. Are you coming or what?"

"I'll catch up," Zelda said.

"Suit yourself," Daisy shrugged. As they all teleported away, Malon gave her one final worried look.

All that were left were Peach and Ingrid, who were still talking to one another. Then, they noticed that Zelda was still there as well.

"Do me a favor," Peach whispered to Ingrid, taking out a pen and several pieces of paper. "Have Bowser sign these. And tell Sheik…yes. My answer is 'yes.' Okay?"

Ingrid glanced at Zelda and replied, "I understand." She took the items and disappeared.

"Zelda?" Peach said, apparently interrupting her thoughts.

"Oh? Peach? What are you still doing here?"

"I should be asking you the same thing," Peach said, walking to her. "Why didn't you go with the others? Is something wrong?"

"No," Zelda said, turning away from her. "I just wanted to be alone for a short while."

"Is this about Malon and Link?"

"Ha! What gave you that idea?"

"Your best friend is with the man you love," Peach answered. "It's a strange place to be."

"I don't know what you're talking about. I have nothing but happiness for them."

"You don't sound like it. You sound like someone who's hiding something." Peach stepped around to face her, seeing her smile long gone. "You definitely don't look happy." When Zelda made no reply, she continued, "Talk to me. It's okay. I won't tell anyone."

Zelda smiled. "This is so silly. Look at me. Nearly a grown woman, and here I am sulking. I should be happy for them. I don't have any reason to be sad."

"Except you are," Peach said, not sharing her smile. "Is it because the one person you loved is with your best friend?"

"If only," Zelda murmured in a hoarse, almost choked voice. She began to snicker pathetically, "You see…I didn't just lose Link…I lost Malon as well." She continued to giggle as tears clearly welled up in her eyes.

"Zelda, she's still your friend. You haven't lost her at all."

"You stupid little angel," Zelda said with a false smile. Her giggling gradually turned into sobs as she continued. "She wasn't just a friend… I loved her… I loved her with all my being… I was so selfish…and so much of coward…I should have asked her to live with me… We could have been happy together. To hell with the morals of society… And instead…I lost the one woman I love…to the one man I love!" Peach took her into her arms as Zelda broke down.

"It's going to be okay," Peach said gently, rubbing her back.

"No, it won't!" Zelda screamed. "I don't have anyone anymore! I'll never love anyone like I did them."

Peach gently cradled her as Zelda continued to sob into her. "Zelda, listen to me. You should never lose hope on love. Sometimes things happen that separate us from the ones we care about and it can't be helped. There's always hope for new love, even if it's not the same. Besides, it's not like you'll never see them again. You can always talk to Malon and Link. Just give yourself some time and when you're ready, talk to them."

As her sobbing quieted, Peach noticed Ingrid and Sheik waiting off to the side, both looking thankful for her help.

* * *

Anybody who was anybody in Hyrule had come to the improvised party at Lon Lon Ranch. There were musicians playing in the pasture, where many danced, talked, and drank.

Despite the festivities, Zelda waited patiently for a chance to talk to Malon alone. Eventually, she left a telepathic message for Malon to meet her in the silo. She waited in the silo quietly, until Malon finally arrived.

"You wanted to talk?" Malon asked gently.

"Yes," Zelda answered. "First of all, I wanted to congratulate you for winning Link's affection."

"Thank you, but I know you didn't call me here just to say that."

"You're right," Zelda smiled sadly. "Do you remember the deal we made about Link and ourselves?"

"I suspected that's what you were upset about," Malon said. "Zelda, I…"

"Please, just hear me out," Zelda said, taking her hands into her own. "When I made that deal, I hadn't thought it all the way through. I selfishly assumed that I would either get Link or he would pick one of the other girls. The possibility of him picking you seemed to be nothing more than a gesture of goodwill to you. I beg your forgiveness for my insolence."

"That's okay," Malon said, stroking her cheek. "To tell the truth, I…did the same thing. That's why I was smiling so much. I didn't think about him picking you until…I saw that worried look in your eyes. It suddenly occurred to me that I could lose both the people I loved all at once."

"That doesn't make this any easier to say," Zelda said, turning her eyes downward. "I ask that you allow me renege on our deal."

"Zelda…"

"Forgive me," Zelda frowned, squeezing her hand. "What I'm asking of you is shameful to you, myself, and to Link. But I must still ask for some sort of alternative. I can't bear the thought of losing both of you."

"You want me to dump Link," Malon said sadly.

"No, no!" Zelda insisted, looking into her eyes. "I could never ask you something like that. Link is a good person. By all means, you deserve him and he deserves you. It's just that…"

"You want him," Malon said.

"I want _you_," Zelda corrected. "I don't know how Link would respond to this at all, but the simple fact is, I still want to be with you. I doubt Link would agree to letting us share him, but…"

"You want to share _me_ with him," Malon said. "I'm not sure he would be comfortable with that either."

"Then, he doesn't have to know," Zelda said.

Malon made a small gasp. "You want me to have an affair with you behind his back? Like some hussy?"

"Malon, you know I don't think of you that way. If anything, I'm the whore. I'm the one who isn't satisfied with the outcome of a perfectly reasonable agreement. I should've simply asked you to be with me long ago. I don't care what my kingdom thinks."

"Don't talk about yourself that way. It's just that, everything's so complicated…"

"If you say no, I promise that I will never ask such a thing of you again," Zelda said tearfully. "But I beg of you, please take pity on me. Since Link has chosen you, I'm sure I can't even approach him with such an idea. But we've been in love for how long now?"

"Three years and four months," Malon smiled, wiping her own watery eyes.

"You're my everything, Malon. Without you, I don't know what I'd have to look forward to."

"Alright, Zelda. I'll let you have your way for now. But you have to move on sooner or later."

"I will try," Zelda said, hugging her. "Thank you so much!"

"Now, let's get back to the party. Did you hear that Peach and Sheik are getting married?"

* * *

Five years later…

Peach walked briskly through the halls of her castle, greeting the servants along the way. She was in a bit of a hurry to get outside and hurriedly adjusted her hair and dress to hide any dishevelment. She saw a flash of red out of the corner of her eye and stopped. She backed up slightly and looked into one of the bathrooms. There Mario was, fixing a burst drain pipe under the sink.

"Hello," she said shyly.

He turned his head to look at her. He somewhat distantly replied, "Oh. Hey." He turned back to his work and continued.

"How are things?" Peach asked nervously.

"Okay, I guess."

When he said nothing else, she realized she was going to have to press him for a conversation. "How is Luigi?"

"Happy with Daisy, last I-a checked," he said coldly.

"I'm glad you agreed to fix up this sink," Peach said. "It's been broken for weeks. Just the other day, I tried to wash my hands with it and…"

"Don't you-a have some place to be?" he asked somewhat agitatedly.

"Right," she said quietly. "Well, it was nice talking to you." Frowning, she walked away and continued toward the exit. After walking down some stairs, she reached the main lobby and went out the front door.

She gasped, as there was a puff of smoke before her. "Sorry," Sheik said. "I thought you'd be used to that by now."

"I really should be," she sighed.

"Something wrong?" he asked, noting her expression.

"…No. I guess I'm just still nervous. Plus, I saw Mario a minute ago and…well, he's still upset as ever. Say, where's the car?"

"I thought I'd make things a little easier on you," he said. "I had the doctor come to _us_ for a change."

"Oh…" she said, looking down.

"I've noticed you stalling a lot," Sheik said, tilting her chin up. "That's why you have to rush so much. I think it will be easier if you don't have to deal with that long drive to Mushroom City."

"Thank you," she said. "Where is he?"

"_She's_ in the infirmary," Sheik said. "Hopefully, a different doctor can give us some better help. Try not to get too nervous. If it doesn't work this time, we can always try again."

"Right," she nodded.

They returned into the castle and went to the infirmary. It was a room full of empty beds and medical supplies. The doctor was waiting there with a clipboard in hand. It was the Toad with purple dots that Peach had met in Sarasaland.

"Hello, again," the doctor said.

"Oh, you?" Peach said.

"Yes. How are you feeling?"

"Nervous," Peach answered.

"That's understandable," the doctor said. "Now, how long have you been trying to have a baby? Five years?"

"Yes," Peach said.

"And Sheik, how has your physical checked out?"

"I've checked with physicians from both the Mushroom World and Hyrule," he said. "They tell me that everything checks out fine. I've no family history of infertility."

"And you have intercourse every day?"

Both Peach and Sheik turned beet red.

"Yes," Sheik nodded sheepishly.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of," she said. "Many couples who seem completely normal go years before conceiving." She flipped through the pages of the clipboard. "Though I must admit, this is a bit confounding. Hmm…Wait a second… Peach…"

"Yes?"

"When was the last time you menstruated?"

"Never," Peach said. "I'm part Toad, remember?"

"What about the other half?" the doctor asked.

"I'm really not sure that…_they_ have periods," she said awkwardly.

"What are _they_?" the doctor asked.

Peach sighed, and her wings spread from her back. "I'm sort of an angel."

"Hmm," the doctor noted, not looking as surprised as she expected. "Well, since I'm not qualified for angels, I might as well ask have you attempted the traditional Toad mating tradition."

"But he's not a Toad," Peach said.

"Have you tried o…"

"Yes," Sheik said before she could finish. "We've tried everything."

"Well, Princess," the doctor sighed. "I'm afraid that until you menstruate, you're going to be sterile. We could surgically extract an egg from your ovaries, but the fact that you haven't menstruated leads me to believe that none of them may be mature. The only other alternative is to count on the stork, and that doesn't seem to be working."

"This doesn't make sense," Peach said exasperatedly. "My mother didn't have to go through all of this."

"Well, you might just be an unviable hybrid," the doctor said. "Some species can mix, but their offspring are incapable of reproducing."

"Let's not give up hope just yet," Sheik said, putting his arm around Peach. "We can still try that operation if it's okay with you Peach."

"Okay," Peach nodded. "Let's try it."

* * *

Peach and Sheik sat in front of the television in their media room, letting the small five-year-old girl sleep between them. She had fallen asleep some time ago. Her face favored Peach, but her pointed ears were like Sheik's.

"It looks like she's tuckered out," Sheik whispered.

"It's way past her bedtime anyway," Peach said, checking the clock on the wall.

There was a gentle knock at the door. "Come in," Sheik said.

Morel soon walked in. She had cropped her hair and wore a purple dress. "I hope I'm not too late."

"No, it's fine," Peach said, picking up the child. "Berry actually fell asleep already."

"Thank you for babysitting," Morel said, taking her.

"Our pleasure," Peach said.

"Any luck since your operation?" Morel asked.

"No," Peach smiled sadly. "I'm afraid not. Apparently, I'm completely sterile."

"I'm sorry," Morel said. "I wish I could help you, but…well, you know what it took for me and sweetums to get pregnant. How is everything?"

"Could be better," Peach said as Sheik stood by her side. She laid her head against him. "But we're happy."

"Bowser and Mario still sore?" Morel asked.

"Unfortunately," Peach said. There was an awkward silence following.

"Well," Morel said, "I need to be getting back. Mom says hi."

"Send our best," Sheik said.

* * *

Malon and Zelda slept peacefully in Zelda's bed. They were wrapped in one another's arms, covered only by the sheet and blanket of the bed itself. Malon shifted in her sleep and nuzzled her lover, stroking her. When she didn't feel Link's more muscular build, she opened her eyes. She bolted up and jumped out of bed to look for her clothing. Zelda awakened from the sudden movement and sat up.

"What's the matter?" Zelda asked.

"It's so late!" Malon said, pointing to the full moon outside the window. "Link must be worried sick! I have to go!"

"The bridge is up," Zelda said. "There's no point in going now. Wait until dawn."

Malon sighed as she sat on the bed. "I can't just sit here and wait. Knowing him, he'll be looking all over the country for me."

"I'll let him know you're just fine," Zelda said, closing her eyes. "Just a moment." After a minute, she opened her eyes. "He's asleep at the ranch."

"How do you know?"

"When I couldn't get a connection with him, I just asked your mother. I have no idea what she's doing up this late though."

"That was close," Malon sighed. "Zelda, should we really keep doing this? I mean it's been five years. Link's been a good husband to me. Going behind his back like this isn't right."

Zelda said quietly, "Then, tell him. You're closer to him than I can ever be."

"But what if he doesn't forgive me?" Malon asked. "I don't want to lose him. He's made everyone on the ranch so happy."

"If he doesn't forgive you, then it's his loss as well," Zelda said. "If it helps at all, please, don't be afraid to say that I made you do it. Better for me to draw his ire than you."

"I don't want any more bad feelings than necessary," Malon said, lying back down next to Zelda. "At the very least, I want everyone to still be friends."

"If you want to…we could stop meeting like this altogether," Zelda suggested hesitantly.

"That was the original plan," Malon said. "But you begged me not to leave you like that."

"I was being selfish. I still am," Zelda said, kissing her. "I desperately want be with you always, _but_…if it means making you risk your own happiness…"

"Uh-uh," Malon shook her head. "I've been guilty of the same thing. We're in this together. I'll tell Link the first chance I get and I want you there with me. If all goes well, we can be a happy family in spirit."

* * *

"You're what?" Link exclaimed as the three stood in Zelda's courtyard the next day.

"Zelda and I…" Malon stammered, "We…we've been together since before you and I were married. The plan was for us to separate if you picked one of us. But Zelda was so miserable without me, and I couldn't stand to think of her in such a state."

Zelda humbly added, "Please, Link, if you're going to blame anyone, please blame me. I was ashamed of myself then, and I am now. But I can't deny my feelings for her."

Link, though not appearing so much angry as he was shocked, was speechless.

"I know it might seem surprising to you," Malon said, "but it's the truth. I'm sorry I never told you before now, but I was afraid of losing you. You've brought so much not just to me, but everyone on the ranch. Dad's liked you ever since he first met you. Ingo loves that you make his life easier. Mom doesn't have to do as much traveling to pick herbs. And I wouldn't want to upset your mother, since you've only recently met. All the animals adore you…except maybe the cuccos. But the point is, you've touched all of our lives. So can you forgive us?"

He opened and closed his mouth as if he was trying to say something. Giving up on whatever he was trying to say, he settled for, "Yeah. I forgive you, Mal. You too, Zel."

"Oh, thank you!" she said, grasping him in a hug.

"You're not upset?" Zelda asked.

"Upset?" he repeated. "Uh…no. Confused and surprised, yes. But upset, no."

"We actually had a proposition for you," Malon said, looking into his eyes. "Zelda?"

"First," Zelda said nervously, "we would like to ask permission to continue seeing each other."

"Sure," he said blankly, still going over the fact that they were a couple. "Hasn't…caused any problems I've noticed…I guess."

"The other thing," Malon said, circling her finger into his chest. "Um…we were wondering if you'd like to join us?"

"Uh-huh," he said blankly. Then, he snapped out of his trance. "Wait, what?"

"You see, Link," Zelda said pensively, avoiding his eyes, "I've had feelings for you as well. They've since been overshadowed by my affection for Malon, but I assure you they are still very present."

Link winced. "Don't you have to marry a Prince or something sooner or later?"

"Yeees…" Zelda said evasively. "But I don't have to love him. I only have to bear his children. Legally, I can have as many men…"

"Or women," Malon added.

"…or women," Zelda sighed, "as I want. But I assure you, Malon is the only woman I want. With your permission, I have her. The only man I want is you. And I've long outgrown my fears of what people will say of me should they find out."

"So," Malon said. "What do you say, Linky-poo?"

"No thanks," he said squeamishly.

"What?" they exclaimed.

"I'm happy with just one woman," he said. "You two are a special case…and I'm okay with that. Zelda, you…make my wife happy and that…is…good. So…let's just leave it at that."

"You mean you don't even think about other women?" Malon asked. "Look at her. Don't you think she's attractive?"

"She's very pretty," Link nodded, "but I'm just not interested in her that way. I don't even understand how two women can be with one another like that and… As a matter of fact, I'd just like to drop the subject."

"Oh, come on," Malon whined playfully. "Wouldn't you like to try her out once?"

"Let's not push him," Zelda said carefully. "I think we should count ourselves lucky that he's as accepting as he is."

"Tell you what, Link," Malon said, putting his hand in Zelda's. "How about if you two just spend a little while alone together? I can go get some wine to loosen you up."

"Ohhh, no," Link said, holding his hands up. "You've played this game on me before. Putting Zelda in your place isn't going to work. I'm just going to get back to my delivery route and I'll see you at dinner."

As he walked away, Malon asked playfully, "Can I count it as my birthday present?"

"Fine, I'll think about it," he said exasperatedly. "But you owe me big time…both of you."

"That means we'll have to go hiking with him one of these days," Malon shrugged. "Oh, well. See, I know how to bargain."

Zelda smiled with a laugh. "That seemed an awful lot like you were just now trying to whore me off to him."

"Well, you _did_ say that you were my whore," Malon giggled.

"I'm sorry, Mistress," Zelda giggled, latching onto her arm. "It seems I didn't earn my quota this week."

"That's okay," Malon smiled, hugging her. "You always know how to make it up to me."


	52. Suspect the Unexpected

**Suspect the Unexpected**

"This is rather unusual, isn't it?" Salome said quietly. "Link is supposed to pick one of them to be his love?"

"That's the bottom line," Ingrid replied.

"Hmm. A rather eclectic batch of choices, wouldn't you say? Doesn't this seem rather…wrong to you?"

"No. Why do you ask?" Ingrid asked. "They are all old enough to make their own decisions."

"It's not that," she said. "I just…disagree with certain people he's picking from."

"Like who?" Rita asked. "If it's about my daughter being a Zora…"

"No, no," Salome said nervously. "Race is irrelevant in this context. It's actually Zelda that I'm arguing against."

"Why?" Ingrid asked, looking down on her.

"Eh…forgive me, my Queen. It's just that…she doesn't seem like she would make a proper…life partner for Link."

"Either answer my question directly or hold your tongue," Ingrid said. "Which will it be?"

"I…Could we talk over there?"

"Very well," Ingrid said, following her some distance from the others. "Now what is it that bothers you so much about my daughter. Class difference is irrelevant. Even if it did matter, Link could easily become a Royal Knight of Hyrule."

"That's not it," Salome said. "It's more than a matter of social taboo. I think it's more akin to outright sin. It would be unnatural for them to have such a relationship. I shudder to think of any offspring that might result from…"

"You try my patience, Salome. Until now, you've presented yourself as an honorable woman. What drives you to belittle my daughter in such a way?"

"I'm meant no offense to her, but rather the possibility of a relationship between her and my son."

"Clearly we are on two separate pages," Ingrid sighed. "Please explicitly state what disturbs you."

"Oh…you don't know?" Salome asked, clearly growing more nervous.

"Know what?"

"About his father," Salome said.

"Of course I do," Ingrid said. "His father was your husband, Sir Link of the Royal Knights. He hardly ever ceased boasting about his newborn son."

"It wasn't his son," Salome said nervously. "It was Heinrich's."

Ingrid flinched reflexively. "Are you telling me you slept with Heinrich?" Ingrid asked, barely hiding her anger.

"There was hardly a woman in the court who didn't," Salome said. "You just happened to be his favorite." She winced as Ingrid raised her hand to strike her. Instead of smacking her, Ingrid laid a heavy hand on her shoulder.

"Are you absolutely sure that Link is Heinrich's son?" Ingrid asked.

"Most definitely," Salome assured her. "Just compare Link and Zelda's faces."

Ingrid looked and frowned upon seeing a slight resemblance between the two.

"Shouldn't we stop them?" Salome asked.

"I don't know," Ingrid admitted. "If you're wrong, and I hope you are, we'd be ruining the moment. But if you're right…"

"We'd be sparing them some embarrassment," Salome said.

"Right," Ingrid relented. She looked back to others and called, "Link, Zelda, could you join us for a moment? We need to talk." She was disheartened to see that he had been on the verge of saying something important to Zelda. The two obediently came over to them.

"What's up with them?" Nabooru asked. "The kid was about to make a decision, and Miss Sunshine over there interrupts."

"It must be important," Impa said. "Ing isn't the type to meddle unless it's important."

"Maybe she wants to give Brother her blessings," Darunia said. "I'm sure he was about to pick Zelda."

Zelda's piercing scream got everyone's attention. She had turned deathly pale and was clawing at her hair. Link had a wan appearance as well, though his face was more composed of pure astonishment. When Salome gently reminded them that they were being watched, they recomposed themselves. Link, with a befuddled look on his face, walked past the four sages, stood between them and the remaining three girls.

"What was that all about?" Nabooru asked.

"Is everything okay?" Malon asked.

"Not really," Zelda said blankly, stopping by Impa's side.

"What's the matter?" Impa asked.

"Go ahead, Zelda," Link said absently. "We might as well get this out of the way."

"Indeed," Zelda nodded. "It seems that Link's father and my father are the same person. We're half-siblings."

Everyone went quiet, save for a few surprised gasps. Then, the sound of restrained chuckling could be heard. All eyes turned to Nabooru, who had her hands cupped over her mouth as she struggled to hide her amusement.

"I am sooo sorry," she said between laughs. "But _that_ is hilarious! It shouldn't be, but it is. But please, don't mind me. Continue." She eventually silenced herself, though she could not help smiling.

"I'm glad somebody thinks its funny," Link said sarcastically. "Because that ruined my whole perspective."

"Well, Link," Salome said, "you still have three perfectly applicable girls who are waiting for your decision. Let's just try again, okay?"

"No," Link said, shaking his head. "No offense ladies, but it's not working out that way. Ruto, you're a perfectly nice person and I'd love to get to know you better. But I think we'd better just stay friends."

"That's fine," she said.

"Saria, I don't know what happened to you, but I intend on helping you get your smile back. I don't think we'd be very good as a couple though. You're kind of like the mom and sister I never had…or at least until two minutes ago," he muttered glumly. "Is that ok with you?"

"Better than I expected, actually," she smiled.

"Malon…" Link said, sighing. "Even though you're nice, beautiful, and probably the most normal person here, I don't think the farm life is for me. Besides, I don't want to risk dating another possible sister."

"I understand," she nodded. "So, do you have _anyone_ in mind?"

"To tell the truth," he said, "I used to have a crush on Impa."

Nabooru was too tickled to conceal her laughter at all, despite the blushing Sheikah standing next to her. Laughing on her back, Nabooru said, "This just gets better and better."

"But," Link added, "more recently, besides Zelda…I've found Nabooru the most appealing."

Nabooru's laughter stopped almost immediately. "What?"

"Something wrong?" Impa said with a smile.

"I like you," Link repeated.

Nabooru sat up to face him, looking somewhat unconvinced. "I'm not part of your fan club. Besides, lots of people find me appealing."

"I'll bet that's true," Link said somewhat casually. "But I'm willing to bet that the only ones who find anything appealing about you besides your looks are other Gerudos. And I remember you telling me that women aren't really your thing."

"And you really think that you're much different?" Nabooru asked. "Link, I respect you as an honorary Gerudo and I'll admit you're very handsome. However, you're a Hylian man and I'm a Gerudo woman."

"I don't think race counts as an excuse anymore," Ruto said.

"I wasn't asking you," Nabooru said in a singsong voice. "It's a cultural difference. To us, men are only good for one thing. And I'm not interested in having any children any time soon. When I decide to, you can be sure that you'll be the first man I contact."

"I guess that counts for something," Link said.

"Oh, I've seen this sort of resistance before," Salome said knowingly. "But I know of a way to see whether you two are compatible or not."

"Doesn't anybody listen?" Nabooru said, standing up. "I said no."

"Just go on a single date with him," Salome said confidently. "Spend one whole day with him, and see how he suits you."

"I don't see why I should."

"Are you afraid?" Darunia asked.

"I fear nothing!" Nabooru asserted. "It's just a waste of time."

"I'll give you five hundred Rupees for the day," Link said. "Just to make it worth your while."

"Don't try to bribe me. Do you take me for a whore?"

"I'll add two hundred to that," Impa said.

"Fifty free bombs," Darunia added.

"I can give you a pond next to the Fortress," Ruto said.

"Two horses, a cow, and two Cuccos," Malon said.

Zelda smirked, "All of that is too good for even a high-class prostitute. And it's all just for a date. Nothing more."

"Fine!" Nabooru yelled. "But just know that you're all throwing your money away."

Unbeknownst to anyone but Daisy and Mario, Ingrid had taken Peach far away.

* * *

Peach stood atop a hill of golden grass, staring up into the golden sky. It looked so perfect, yet unbelievable at the same time. It was devoid of clouds and had no sun, yet somehow it maintained its luminous appearance. 

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" she said.

Sheik walked up behind her. "Did you hear me? I must be getting rusty."

"No," she said, turning around to face him. "I just sensed you. It's hard to suppress my new abilities."

"Ingrid told me," he nodded. "Even if it was against your will, at least you can better protect yourself."

"That's true, I suppose," she said, glancing at the ruins at the bottom of the hill where Ingrid was. Bowser was approaching and met eyes with her. "I don't think there's much I need to be protected from, though. All the mutants have been turned back to normal. King Boo is no longer a threat to me. And the enemy of my kingdom is my friend."

"I see," he said. "May I have your answer now?"

She kept her eyes on Bowser. "In another time, another place, maybe it would work out. But you already have a place you should be. And I have a place I should be."

"I understand," he said with a heavy sigh.

She smiled as she turned to him and placed a hand on his cheek. She said sympathetically, "You don't have to lie to me. I know you don't understand at all…but thank you for respecting my wishes."

"It's fine," he said, taking her hand in his before hesitantly letting it go.

"Come on," she said, guiding him down the hill.

Once they got to the bottom of the hill, Peach turned to Ingrid and said, "Could you take Sheik to his next destination. He has someone waiting for him."

"What about you?" she asked.

"I need to talk to Bowser," Peach said, glancing at the unusually quiet Koopa.

Ingrid eyes switched back and forth at the two. "Interesting. I'll return in ten minutes." She took hold of Sheik and they disappeared.

"Hello again, Bowser," Peach said.

"You okay?" he asked. "You seem kind of different."

"I do?" she asked. "It looks like I didn't put enough effort into it."

"Whatever," he shrugged. "I'm just glad you're okay."

"I'm glad _you're_ okay," she smiled. "That was very selfless of you to sacrifice yourself to save Mario and me."

"Hey!" he yelled, startling her. "Let's get one thing straight, Peach. The Koopa King never does favors for anybody unless he gets something out of it. I only let go to make sure _you_ were okay. I would have dragged the plumber with me if you weren't there."

"Sorry," she said humbly. "But still, I didn't think you cared that much about me."

"Think about it," he said, tapping his foot in place. "Every time I kidnap you, I always give you better prison conditions. The first time, it was a cage over boiling lava because I didn't care about you at all. After that, you got a nice big room all to yourself."

"And then you trapped me in the walls of my castle," she said with a frown, folding her arms.

"And then inside your own room," he smiled. "See, it gets better every time."

"I suppose," she admitted reluctantly. "For a big, monstrous, evil oaf…you're pretty nice."

"The Koopa King is _not_ nice," he said sternly.

"Well, at least you're nice to me," she smiled.

"That's because you're the _only_ person I'm nice to," he said.

"You're pretty nice to your kids too."

"Too nice," he frowned. "Bunch'a moochers."

"The oldest ones you have are teenagers," she said. "They're still young. Just give them time. You do pretty well for a single parent."

"Thanks."

"If you don't mind me asking," she said hesitantly, "what happened to their mother?"

"Mothers," he corrected.

"There's more than one?!" she exclaimed.

"Three," he said unenthusiastically. "And before you jump to any conclusions, I didn't do anything. They were just some underlings that I yelled at every so often. The stupid Stork just kept dropping off eggs for some reason. After I bought some…uh…contraceptives from a really convenient place in Sarasaland, I got the idea that I could use them not just blast the stork out of the sky, but also to take over your kingdom…the first time. After he came flying along with Bowser Jr., I had some Para Koopas intercept, take the kid, and blast the stork out of the sky. Haven't seen him since," he said with a satisfied grin.

"If it was such a bother, then why didn't their mothers just take care of them?"

"I wouldn't throw away my own bloodline!" he said, sounding offended. "Even the most pathetic ones have potential. It's just a shame that their mothers won't get to see them grow up."

"Oh," Peach said in realization. "How did they pass?"

"In the line of duty, like most of them," he said bitterly. "That plumber you care about so much isn't such a nice guy when you're on the underside of his shoes. Junior never even got to meet his mother."

"Oh…I'm so sorry," she said.

"Ah don't worry about it," he said dismissively. "I hate talking about this mushy stuff anyway. They were just guards, after all… Lemmy, and Iggy's mother was a Terrapin cadet who kept brownnosing me until I gave her a promotion. If I remember correctly, she was burnt to a crisp after Mario hit her with a fireball…or did he knock her into the lava…? Anyway, then there was Roy and Wendy's mother, a Boomer. She was stomped flat and crushed in the ruins of one of my fortresses that Mario came across. I liked her the most. Larry and Ludwig's mother lasted the longest of all of them. She was a Magikoopa under Kammy's command. She actually only got killed a couple of years ago after that witch possessed me."

"Cackletta?"

"Yeah, that's the one," Bowser grumbled.

"Um, Bowser?"

"Hm?"

"You forgot about Bowser Jr. and Morton Jr."

"Oh, right," he said, shaking off his bad memories of Cackletta. "They had the same mother too, so that makes four mothers, I guess. She was a Hammer Bro…er, Hammer Sister. A real mouth on that one; she cursed like a sailor. Mario ran her over with a starman, way back during that first time I kidnapped you, and knocked her down a cliff."

Peach could sense his conflicted feelings and saw it on his face as he stared at the ground in silence. She decided now was as good of a time as ever to do what she needed to do. She reached into one glove and pulled out a small roll of paper.

"What's that?" he asked, glancing at the paper. She unrolled it to reveal that it was a divorce page. "Divorce? Wait, aren't you going to at least give me a chance? Think about Junior and…well, I'll make the others treat you better. Come on, just…"

She tore the paper in half and smiled.

His mouth hung open in surprise. "Peach…"

She put her hands around his jaw and kissed him on the nose. "I like to think I've grown up a little. I can see that you're not so bad after all."

A large, dazed smile stretched across his face. "Heh…"

* * *

Geno and the child-like Empress strolled through a land of darkness and fire, him holding her by her hand. Plumes of fire shot up out of the volcanic rock ground repeatedly. There was no shortage of lava pools. 

"Was it really necessary that we come down here?" Geno asked.

"I told you," the cherub said. "I know an excellent lawyer here. He's actually an angel of light as well…or at least he used to be."

"Relative?"

"No, but you wouldn't know by looking," she replied.

The surroundings abruptly froze over and geysers of freezing water replaced the plumes of fire.

"What just happened?" Geno said, stopping.

"It's a sign," she said dismissively, pulling him along. "It just means something unexpected happened."

A black flame appeared before them and revealed the Fierce Deity. Oni held up his hand, signaling them to stop. "That's far enough."

"You again," Geno said cautiously.

"Calm down, officer," he said, staring at the cherub. "I'm afraid she has to leave now. Her presence is disrupting the natural flow of things here. Besides the fact that she, of all people, is down here, it also seems her granddaughter has decided to remain with the Koopa King."

"What?" Geno exclaimed, blinking. "That's ridiculous. Besides, she is allowed to have a lawyer."

"He'll come to her," he said calmly. "I know exactly who she has in mind."

* * *

One week later… 

Saria plunged her hands into the cool soil, giving her energy to the garden around her. Tiny sprouts poked through the surface.

"That's enough," Mother Malon said from behind her. "I don't want to cheat too much." Once Saria removed her hands, the senior Malon sprinkled the sprouts with water from her watering can.

"This is going to be a wonderful little garden," Saria commented, smiling as she looked on the gently plowed, fenced-in area beside the house.

"Hopefully the Cuccos don't get to this one."

Saria looked into the orange sky somewhat worriedly. "Shouldn't Malon be back by now? It's going to get dark soon."

"Don't worry about her. Zelda makes sure she gets an escort when she has to do a lot of traveling. She's had to widen her route since Link hasn't come back yet."

"You mean Link hasn't come back from his date yet?" Saria asked in astonishment.

"We haven't heard from him since he left," she responded matter-of-factly. "Bare in mind, he is surrounded by beautiful thieves. You never know what could be going on."

"Hmm," Saria frowned, looking at the ground again. Her ears perked upon hearing the gallops of a horse. They both craned their necks toward the entrance.

It was not Link riding in, but rather Nabooru. Upon seeing the two, she flipped off her horse before it had come to a stop and greeted them.

"Hey you two. Where's Malon Jr.?"

"Still out on delivery," Saria answered. "Where's Link?"

Nabooru's expression soured, "Don't get me started on that guy."

"Things didn't go well?" Mother Malon asked.

"Oh, the date went fine," Nabooru said. "Had a nice little tour of the forest, visited town, and then I took him home."

"But he hasn't been through here, has he?" Mother Malon inquired.

"_My_ home," she clarified. "But among Gerudo women, word spreads fast. Soon everyone wanted a piece of him. I cracked a little joke about paying for him and they all took it seriously. Next thing you know, every Gerudo even mildly interested is trying forking over 500 Rupees for twenty minutes alone with him. So of course, he warps back to town to put that extra cash in a bank. Apparently, he saw some pretty thing he liked and decided to make as much money as possible off of us so he can impress her."

"It took you a week to come here and tell us that?" Saria asked.

"I'm only here to see her," Nabooru said to the other woman.

"Don't tell me Link is outlasting you?" Mother Malon giggled. "A little libido enhancement will fix that right up."

"The thing is," Nabooru said with a small smirk, "even though the others wanted to take him to bed, he just gave them a surprise lesson in swordsmanship when they tried to force him. To bring a little order to the situation, I got everyone to agree that if anyone could beat him in a one-on-one fight, they could have him for the night with a 500-Rupee entrance fee. So, everyone pays up and he clobbers them one-by-one. Considering that all the able women have been incapacitated, I decided to come here to pick up some healing supplies and something that will make them a little more…frigid, if you get my drift. It wouldn't be so great for us if we just kidnapped a bunch of men around the country. We already have a big debt to get back."

"Good point," Mother Malon said, looking toward the silo. "About a barrel of my most potent batch should do for your whole tribe. Guaranteed frigidity, three months worth of sterility, and…a…ahem…slight chance of miscarriage for those currently expecting."

"I've heard that tone before," Nabooru said knowingly. "By 'slight' you mean very likely. That's fine. We'll just have to be a little selective."

"Gross," Saria grimaced.

"You're a grown woman now," Nabooru retorted. "You might as well take some of her little specialties and have a night on the town."

"I'll pass," Saria said squeamishly. "I'll be leaving now. I promised Darunia I'd let his son hear my song tomorrow. I just hope I'm not late for the dinner Salome and Fado are making for me in Kakariko."

"For a formerly dead noble and pregnant former Kokiri," Nabooru commented, "they sure get around."

"They're tougher than they look," Mother Malon smiled.

* * *

Link waited patiently outside the restaurant he had picked out. The sun had set some time ago and all the stars were out. His eyes constantly scanned the thinning crowd as the market was beginning to close. 

"Behind you," his date said.

He turned around to see her smiling face. Unlike most of his female friends, she was noticeably shorter than him. She also was not as outstandingly beautiful as most of his friends. Compared to them, she was relatively plain. She wore a simple yellow dress and white apron. She had round brown eyes and short, but straight carroty hair poking out of a white bonnet.

"What took you?" he asked, with a smile.

"You know me," she winked. "I just couldn't catch that Cucco."

* * *

A brand new castle had been built on the former border between the Dark Land and the Mushroom Kingdom. The two countries were officially united into one, though an official name had yet to be christened. The dark half of the castle was true to Bowser's usual tastes. It was gothic, poorly lit with dim candles, and had a moat of lava that fed a subterranean lava lake. The mushroom half of the castle was characteristically bright, full of windows to let in the sunlight, and had a crystal clear moat that fed all the water fountains throughout the castle's interior. Such a marvel could only be achieved in so little time through the cooperation of both countries' workers. Bowser's workers had a special talent for building and rebuilding castles quickly from past experience. 

Bowser and Peach had tried to ease the transition by holding a large housewarming party. During the day, Darklings and Mushroomers were initially uneasy with one another. However, as things began to wind down during the night, things were looking more optimistic. Tayce T. was giving cooking tips to Bowser's best chefs and exchanging recipes in the main kitchen. Toadsworth and Kammy Koopa were playing a heated game of chess in the study. Even Peach's friends and Bowser's closest associates were there.

The Big Bob-omb King rubbed his mustache as he spoke to other members of royalty near the punch bowl. "I say, this is an astoundingly good start. When Lord Bowser first told me Peach was willingly staying with him, I thought he had found some manner of mind control device."

"I can't argue with that," Bow nodded, fanning herself. "I could have sworn Peach was completely out of her mind for staying with people like you, but…you're all right."

The Goomba King, who was nearly twice the size of the already large Bob-omb King, grinned. "We're not all like that psychopath King Boo. By the way, if you don't mind me asking, is he of any relation to you?"

"I certainly hope not," she said. "It's sickos like him that give us, Boos and royalty, a bad name."

"Quite," the Big Bob-omb agreed.

Some distance away from them, near the large red-carpeted staircase, Peach and Kamek talked.

"…and he flattened me like a pancake," Kamek chuckled.

"You're probably the twentieth person I've talked to that had that experience with him," Peach chuckled uneasily. "I'll have to talk to Bowser about his work ethics."

"Well, I should be going now," he yawned. "I'm not as young as I used to be. Once again, I want to thank you for agreeing to stay with His Stuffiness. It means a lot to him. I've never seen him so happy before."

"Don't mention it," she smiled. "Goodnight."

He bid her goodnight and she watched him board his broom and ride it to the second floor and into one of the halls. She looked around and saw a familiar face. She briskly walked to the dessert table to speak to Luigi, who was eating a Kooky Cookie.

"Hello, Luigi," she said. "I haven't seen you all day."

"Oh, hello, Princess…I mean-a, Queen," he said, turning transparent. "Wow, that feels weird."

"You have to be careful with that kind of food," she chided gently. "It does funny things to you."

"No, I mean calling you a queen," he said. "I knew it would happen some-a day. I just didn't think it'd-a be so soon, let alone with-a Bowser."

"I hope it doesn't throw you too much," she said.

"I'll get used to it," he smiled nervously. "I just hope you'll be okay. I know Bowser likes you, but what about the others?"

"From what I can tell, almost all of the Dark Kingdom likes me," she said. "Except for his children. With them, only Lemmy, Iggy, and Jr. like me. Ludwig, Roy, Larry, and Morton seem to tolerate me. Wendy, on the other hand, hates me. It doesn't help that I actually fought her a few months ago. But Bowser is being more firm than usual with her, so hopefully things will work out."

Daisy burst through one of the second floor doors and jumped over the railing behind Peach. "Whoo! Peach, this party is freaking awesome!" she yelled. Her face was flushed and her stance was a little shaky.

"Daisy, I haven't seen you all day," she said.

"I was just hanging with some of the Hammer Bros. Those guys rock at DDR."

"Mama-mia, you're drunk, aren't you?" Luigi moaned.

"I'm not drunk," she said, leaning on his shoulder. Of course, since he was transparent, she fell right through him and on the floor. "I'm just pepped up."

"Then why is-a your face all red?" he asked, returning to normal and helping her up.

"It's really easy to tell when you put so much powder on," Peach giggled.

"Hey, check it out," she said in a lower voice. "I totally saw a Gira Blaster flirting with a Bill Blaster."

"Are you sure they weren't just two Bill Blasters sitting next to each other?" Peach asked.

"Nah, Gira Blasters don't have those little skull thingies painted on their sides. I'm telling you, girl, this was a great idea. Screw all the naysayers. When Bowser is tied down with the ol' ball and chain, he's a total pansy like you."

"Um, thanks?" Peach said unsurely.

"Maybe I'd-a better take you home," Luigi said.

"I'm good to drive," she insisted. "I'm not gonna go flying off the road or anything."

"Daisy," Luigi sighed, "you flew here on-a your personal plane."

"Oh," she said dimly. "Well, I still want to hang around for a while. Peach, you mind giving me a little pick-me-up?"

"I think you've had enough of those," Peach giggled.

"I meant a little healing," Daisy said. "You know, like purify the body and stuff."

"Ah," Peach nodded. She waved her hand over Daisy and the princess glowed briefly.

"All right," Daisy said, standing up straight and newly sobered. "Weegi, I'm gonna go hit the lava pool. They have this totally kick-butt jet ski contest and…"

He grabbed her hand, saying, "Why don't we just have a walk on the balcony together?"

Daisy blushed and Luigi blushed in response. Daisy replied bashfully, "O…Okay."

"Before you go," Peach said, "have you seen Mario around?"

"Not lately," Luigi said. "He wandered off a while ago. He's probably still-a here though."

"He was in the west courtyard," Daisy said. "Said he wanted to be alone for a while. You should go talk to him."

"I will. Thank you."

Peach hurriedly went up the stairs and into one of the hallways. This part of the castle was the medium between the two styles. It was a bit dark and there was a red carpet going down the center of the hallway, but the walls were made of plaster rather than stone. As she passed by open doors, she saw lots of people enjoying themselves. A small crowd had gathered in the entertainment room as a Hammer Brother spinning on his back and a Toad spinning his head competed in a break dancing competition. In one of the dining rooms a Yoshi, Chomp, and Piranha Plant were pigging out in an eating competition. In yet another room, a friendly Wiggler was reading a story to a diverse group of children, including Bowser Jr. The last open doorway showed a poker game being played among a few Bumpty penguins, Dryites who still wore their turbans and veiling clothes over their faces, Roy Koopa, and strangely enough, a Thwomp. She opened the very last door in the hall, which led into the western courtyard.

It was a miniature park in appearance. There were benches and small, scattered trees. There was a stream flowing into a small pond in the center. Mario sat at the edge of the pond, watching the stars. The sky was partly cloudy, but some of the stars were still visible. Conveniently, he and she were the only people in the courtyard.

She slowly approached and asked, "Mind if I sit next to you?"

He looked up at her and turned his eyes to the pond. "Okey-dokey," he said without his usual enthusiasm.

"I just wanted to talk to you before the party was over," she said, taking a seat. "Things are going better than I expected."

"Mhmm," he nodded.

She looked down at the grass, thinking of what to say. "I know you're upset about my decision. A lot of people were. Some still are."

"Peach, could-a I ask-a you something?"

"Of course," she said, looking up at him only to find his gaze still on the pond.

"Did I do-a something wrong?"

"No... What are you talking about?" she asked.

"I don't-a understand-a," he said, picking up a pebble and chucking it into the water. "After all-a these years-a, I tried-a to look out for you-a. I protected the kingdom-a. I save-a the world a few times. Meanwhile, Bowser kidnaps-a you, puts-a you in prison, tries-a to take over you-sa kingdom, and makes-a everyone miserable."

"Mario…"

"Why him?" he asked, looking directly at her. His eyes were not angry, but hurt and confused. "What did-a he do to deserve-a someone like-a you?"

"I'm sorry, Mario," Peach sighed. "It's not that simple. When you put everything like that…he doesn't deserve me. But it doesn't have anything to do with 'who deserves what.' Just look at your brother. He hasn't saved Sarasaland a single time. He's had nothing to do with Daisy until I invited her to some of our sporting events. And yet, before he even knew it, she fell in love with him."

"But she didn't-a marry Tatanga," he said somewhat bitterly. He frowned at what his words. "Sorry. I know what-a happened while I was-a gone, but still…"

"I understand," she said. "Maybe I am a fool for staying with Bowser. But things have gone better than I expected so far. And…I really do love him, now." Her face turned red upon finishing her sentence.

"I know," Mario sighed. "I should of said something years ago, hmm?"

"That might've worked," Peach admitted. "Bowser was more vocal after all. But I still don't know for sure why I have feelings for him like this. But I know they're real and that's good enough for me. And I know this isn't the best choice of words, but…can we still be friends?"

"I think so," he answered. "At least I don't have to worry about you being kidnapped anymore."

"Thank you, Mario," she said, holding out a hand. He looked at it and shook it.

Peach glanced over her shoulder toward the entrance, where Bowser was peeking through the door. She stood up and returned to the entrance.

"How'd it go?" Bowser asked. "He didn't cry or anything, did he?"

"No, but he's still uncomfortable with the whole thing," Peach said. "Just a little depressed too. Ohhh, I feel so guilty!"

"Don't sweat it, babe. Your king has everything covered." He snapped his fingers and a red potion appeared in his hands. He threw it onto the grass and a door appeared.

The door opened and a vaguely familiar woman stepped out. She wore black high-heels and a red, knee-high, halterneck dress. She looked like a slightly taller, brunette femme fatale version of Peach. She glanced at Peach and looked to Bowser.

"Right that way, Miss," he said, pointing.

Without saying a word, she gingerly ambled over to Mario and sat beside him. He looked surprised to see her and she smiled pleasantly. They were immediately engaged in a conversation, catching up on old times.

"Who was that?" Peach asked.

"I did a little research on fats…I mean, Mario," he said. "As much I love the idea of him with a broken heart and all, I knew you wouldn't be happy with him like that. That woman is the famous Pauline."

"Pauline?" Peach exclaimed. "But how did…? Isn't she from…?"

"It's easier than you think when you have connections with the Big N," he said, wrapping an arm around her. "Come on, let's get back to the party."

"Thank you so much!" she said, jumping up to kiss him.

"I never get tired of that," he chuckled as they walked back down the hall. As they reached the lobby, a pair of Koopatrol met them at the top of the staircase.

"Uh, sir?" one of them said nervously. The other one looked particularly anxious.

"What is it?"

"We have a situation," he said. "A code white."

"WHAT?!" Bowser bellowed, silencing everyone in the room. "No, no, no! Are you sure?"

"Koopert's holding him at the door," he continued.

"What happened to that _protection_ I ordered?"

"Temper," Peach reminded him. "Just calm down. What's code white?"

"Sorry, sir. We probably forgot to prepare anti-air cannons in the rush to build the castle. A week is not a long time to build…"

"Don't tell _me_ what's a long time!" he growled, shaking his fist. He jumped down the stairs thunderously, his landing shaking the whole room. "Okay, let him in."

Peach floated down by his side as the front doors began to open. A stoic Koopatrol walked in, escorting a five-foot tall stork carrying a pinkish egg in a white sling in its beak.

"Hey, what's going on?" Daisy asked, pulling Luigi along. Upon seeing the stork, she let go of Luigi and took a few steps away from him. She squealed in a hushed voice, "Not yet… We didn't do anything! I knew I shouldn't have kissed him on the lips. Stupid, stupid, Daisy! Kissing always leads to pregnancy!"

The stork took the sling out of its beak and said, "I have a delivery for a Mr. Bowser Koopa." Daisy sighed of relief.

"Blast! Not again!" He grabbed the previously silent, but anxious Koopatrol. "This is why I don't let girls be my personal bodyguards, you see?"

"Sorry, sir!" she squealed. "I take full responsibility, sir!"

"Oh snap! He's already cheating!" Daisy said.

"Calm down, everyone," Peach said. "This has happened before. It's not what you think. He's not involved with her. The storks just do things a little funny."

"I don't make them," the stork said, "I just deliver them. Now, where's the mother?"

"Right here," the Koopatrol said, stepping forward.

"Congratulations, Mrs. Koopa," the stork said, handing her the egg.

"Actually, my last name is Halfshell," she said. "Easy mistake though."

"Wait a minute," the stork said, taking out a card. "You're not Mrs. Koopa? I have to make sure that I'm getting this address right. It says the mother is Mrs. Peach Koopa."

"It's mine?" Peach asked.

"So it seems," the stork said, taking the egg and handing it to her. "Now then, if we're all clear on the parents, I have to be going. I'm not supposed to stay this long." The stork then exited and flew off.

"I'm going to be a real mother?" Peach asked.

"Not my problem anymore," the Koopatrol said, taking off her helmet and slipping away. "That was too close."

Bowser was speechless and his mouth hung wide open.

"I wonder what it will look like?" Daisy said.

A large crack suddenly appeared in the egg as Peach felt something attempting to break out. "Daisy, get Mommy on the phone!" she said with a wide smile.

_Notes: And that's the end. I hope you liked at least one of these endings. If you're a Zelink fan, this was probably not your ending of choice. The previous one probably worked better despite...circumstances. Anyway people, thanks for sticking with me through all those update gaps._


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